EAB Investment Group

What EAB Investment Group does

EAB Investment Group LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, that operates as a boutique risk advisor serving RIAs, hedge funds, and family offices. The firm specializes in derivatives-based strategies and hedging solutions, positioning itself as a third-party risk manager that develops proprietary strategy, product, and hedging overlays on behalf of institutional clients. Its four core service lines are Portfolio Analysis (historical return stream optimization and proof-of-concept modeling), Product Development (combining client investment processes with proprietary hedging overlays), Risk Management (option valuation and volatility risk identification using F(t) Options technology and an extensive volatility database), and Hedging Solutions (direct hedging with high correlation to underlying securities plus indirect hedging for systemic/tail risk).

The firm's flagship product is the EAB Hedged Equity Strategy, incepted August 3, 2015, which pairs S&P 500 exposure with an active risk mitigation overlay designed to over-protect the first two standard deviations (approximately -2% to -7%) of downside while harvesting option premiums and managing short-term volatility. The proprietary EAB Correlation Defense Index (EABCDI) is a quarterly-rebalanced multi-asset long-short index delivering returns negatively correlated with the US equity market, available on Bloomberg (ticker EABCDI) since 2019 and shifting to exclusive direct distribution via EAB from 12/1/2026. Distribution is conducted through three institutional vehicles — the Easterly Hedged Equity Fund (Mutual Fund), a Collective Investment Trust (CIT), and bespoke Separate Accounts.

Revenue is generated primarily through investment advisory fees on Hedged Equity mandates and professional services fees for hedging solutions consulting. The investment team consists of four professionals — Ed Boll (Non-Executive Chairman), Jim Ryan (President, Portfolio Manager), Bill Visconto (COO, Portfolio Manager), and Arnim Holzer (Global Macro Strategist, Client Portfolio Manager) — drawn from institutions including Goldman Sachs SLK-Hull Derivatives Group, Deutsche Asset Management, McGowan Investors, and PFTC Advisors. The firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or external funding.

Name

EAB Investment Group

Legal name

EAB Investment Group LLC

Website

https://eabinvestmentgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EAB Investment Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA, that builds proprietary derivatives-based risk management and hedging solutions for RIAs, hedge funds, and family offices via its Hedged Equity Strategy and EABCDI index distributed through mutual fund, CIT, and separate account vehicles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Advisory & Risk Management Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Hedge Funds — Commodity Relative Value (Spreads/Arb) (FSAHAHAB)

Keywords

• Derivatives-based hedging
• Risk management advisory
• Hedged equity strategy
• Institutional investment advisory
• Portfolio hedging solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Fees: EAB Investment Group operates as an investment adviser generating revenue through advisory fees for managing hedged equity strategies on behalf of institutional clients including RIAs, hedge funds, and family offices.
2. Hedging Solutions Consulting: Revenue generated from providing strategic guidance, hedging solutions, and product development services to hedge funds, family offices, and RIAs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EAB Investment Group is an investment adviser that specializes in derivatives strategies for RIAs, hedge funds, and family offices, operating as a risk advisor that develops strategy, product, and hedging solutions. The firm offers four core services—Portfolio Analysis, Product Development, Risk Management, and Hedging Solutions—built around proprietary hedging methodologies and the proprietary EAB Correlation Defense Index (EABCDI). Its flagship EAB Hedged Equity Strategy pairs S&P 500 exposure with a downside-protection overlay designed to reduce volatility and drawdowns, distributed via Mutual Fund, CIT, and Separate Account vehicles.

Product overview

EAB Investment Group is an investment adviser that specializes in derivatives strategies for RIAs, Hedge Funds, and Family Offices, functioning as a risk advisor that develops strategy, product, and hedging solutions. The company operates as a services-based advisory firm offering four core services: Portfolio Analysis, Product Development, Risk Management (using F(t) Options technology), and Hedging Solutions (including direct and indirect hedging strategies). The flagship product is the EAB Hedged Equity Strategy, which seeks stable compounded equity returns by reducing volatility and drawdowns through S&P 500 exposure paired with a consistent risk mitigation overlay. The EAB Correlation Defense Index (EABCDI) is a proprietary multi-asset index available on Bloomberg (ticker: EABCDI) since 2019, designed to deliver returns negatively correlated with US equity markets. Investment vehicles include Mutual Funds, CITs, and Separate Accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portfolio Analysis Analyzes portfolio construction and historic return streams to optimize the performance and effectiveness of custom hedging solutions through proprietary systems and processes, providing proof of concept to clients and managing expectations.
• Product Development Works with investment firms to combine their core investment process with custom proprietary hedging strategies designed to maximize risk-adjusted returns and efficiently mitigate downside risk.
• Risk Management Utilizes F(t) Options risk management technology and extensive volatility database to identify risk and analyze option valuation using proprietary techniques, deploying tactical and systematic strategies aimed at mitigating risk while seeking to add alpha.
• Hedging Solutions Provides strategic hedging services treating the hedging process as a profit center rather than a loss leader, including direct hedging with high correlations to underlying securities and indirect hedging for systemic risk and tail events.
• EAB Correlation Defense Index (EABCDI) A proprietary multi-asset index designed as a long-short strategy to deliver returns negatively correlated with the US Equity Market, particularly around market declines. Rebalanced quarterly, it tracks shifts in correlations and volatility across fixed income, currencies, commodities, and equity sectors to offer unique diversification during market stress and regime changes. Available on Bloomberg (ticker: EABCDI) since 2019.
• EAB Hedged Equity Strategy Flagship investment strategy that seeks more stable compounded equity returns by reducing volatility and drawdowns. Pairs S&P 500 exposure with a consistent risk mitigation overlay that over-protects the first two standard deviations (-2 to -7%) to the downside, with active market volatility adjustments. Available as Mutual Fund, CIT, and Separate Account vehicles.
• Easterly Hedged Equity Fund Mutual fund vehicle implementing the EAB Hedged Equity Strategy, classified under the Morningstar Hedged Equity category. Available through Mutual Fund, CIT, and Separate Account vehicles for institutional investors and wealth management platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over-protect first 2 standard deviations (generally -2 to -7%) to the downside
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• F(t) OptionscoreTechnology or IntegrationEAB Investment Group utilizes F(t) Options risk management technology and extensive volatility database to identify risk and analyze option valuation using proprietary techniques. This technology integration supports their risk management and hedging solutions delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gateway Investment Advisers: Gateway Investment Advisers manages hedged equity strategies for institutional and advisory clients, including the Gateway Fund, using options-based risk overlays. It is a direct comparable to EAB's Hedged Equity strategy given similar product design, institutional channel focus, and options-overlay methodology.
• CBOE Vest Financial: CBOE Vest Financial specializes in options-based and buffered ETF strategies for advisors and institutional clients, directly competing with EAB's hedged equity offering. Both firms translate institutional options research into advisor-accessible products and target similar RIA and family office buyers.
• Cambria Investment Management: Cambria Investment Management builds options-based ETFs and tactical strategies aimed at risk-managed equity exposure for advisors and RIAs. The firm's option-overlay ETF lineup overlaps with EAB's Hedged Equity positioning, sharing the same advisor distribution channel and hedged-equity thesis.

Broad incumbents

• AQR Capital Management: AQR Capital Management is a large systematic manager offering hedged equity, managed futures, and alternative risk-premium strategies to institutions globally. While broader and more diversified than EAB, AQR overlaps in tail-hedging and volatility-managed equity strategies for institutional clients.
• BlackRock: BlackRock offers hedged equity and options-overlay strategies, including iShares hedged ETFs, across institutional and advisor channels. As the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock represents the scaled-incumbent competitive benchmark for boutique hedged-equity firms like EAB.
• WisdomTree Investments: WisdomTree offers hedged equity and currency-hedged ETFs to advisors and institutions. While broader and more diversified than EAB, WisdomTree's hedged equity suite targets the same risk-managed equity thesis and advisor buyer base.

Emerging players

• Simplify ETFs: Simplify ETFs builds options-based and hedged equity ETFs aimed at advisors and RIAs, focusing on tail-risk mitigation and volatility overlays. Its product set directly mirrors EAB's hedged equity thesis but is delivered through an ETF wrapper rather than mutual fund/CIT/SMA structures.
• Pacer ETFs: Pacer ETFs offers hedged equity and buffered strategies (including partnerships with CBOE Vest) targeting advisors and RIAs. Pacer competes with EAB at the advisor-distribution layer for risk-managed equity mandates, particularly via defined-outcome and hedged wrappers.

Regional players

• AGF Investments (AGFiQ): AGF Investments offers quantitative and hedged equity strategies (AGFiQ) for advisors and institutional clients, primarily across North America. Its quantitative hedged equity offerings overlap with EAB's strategy positioning, though AGF is a larger and more diversified firm.

Others

• F(t) Options: F(t) Options is the third-party risk management technology and volatility database provider that EAB integrates for its option valuation and hedging analytics. It is an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor, but its role is central to EAB's product delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EAB Investment Group