Marvin & Palmer Associates
Marvin & Palmer Associates is a privately-held Wilmington, Delaware-based investment manager founded in 1986, offering global and U.S. equity strategies through separately managed accounts and the MPA Global long/short fund for institutional investors, family offices, and qualified high-net-worth individuals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersWilmington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Marvin & Palmer Associates does
Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc. is a privately-held investment management firm founded in July 1986 in Wilmington, Delaware by David Marvin and Stan Palmer. The firm manages global and U.S. equity strategies for institutional investors, family offices, and qualified high-net-worth individuals through three core offerings: the MPA Global long/short equity fund (formed July 2024 from the combination of MPA Asia and Global Opportunities Funds), the Global Strategy offered as separately managed accounts targeting absolute returns via ETFs, ADRs, and globally-themed U.S.-listed securities, and the U.S. Equities Strategy managed against the S&P 500 with 20-30 concentrated holdings. Revenue is generated primarily through a 1.00% annual AUM fee across strategies, with a 10% net profit performance fee subject to a high-water mark applied to the Global Strategy.
The firm's underlying investment process integrates fundamental research with a proprietary price screening system developed over decades and weekly risk reporting tied to portfolio manager conviction. A high-profile Advisory Board including former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, former Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz, former Mexican Finance Minister Pedro Aspe, former CME President James McNulty, and former Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly provides geopolitical and financial expertise and retains economic interest in the firm. Go-to-market is relationship-based and direct, with no third-party distribution, retail brokerage presence, or digital demand generation; the firm historically operated without marketing staff from 2015-2021 and has more recently begun a "Market Moments" podcast for thought leadership.
At its peak the firm held $15B in AUM with $12B in global/international mandates, but following a multi-year restructuring period it now operates at 11-50 employees. The investment team is multi-generational and family-led: David Marvin (Chairman, PM), Todd Marvin (President, PM), Stephen Marvin (President, PM), and Jay Middleton (PM), each with 25+ years of tenure at the firm. The firm has navigated every major market cycle since its 1987 inception including the 1987 crash, Peso Crisis, Asian Financial Crisis, Dot-com Bubble, Global Financial Crisis, and COVID-19.
Marvin & Palmer Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Marvin & Palmer Associates
- Legal name
- Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc.
- Website
- https://marvinandpalmer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Marvin & Palmer Associates is a privately-held Wilmington, Delaware-based investment manager founded in 1986, offering global and U.S. equity strategies through separately managed accounts and the MPA Global long/short fund for institutional investors, family offices, and qualified high-net-worth individuals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Marvin & Palmer Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Global Equity Asset Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fundamental/Discretionary Equity Long/Short (FSAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Large-Cap Equity Long/Short (FSAHAAAH)
Keywords
Where Marvin & Palmer Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wilmington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Marvin & Palmer Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Asset Management Fees - Fixed Percentage: The firm charges a fixed annual percentage of assets under management (AUM). For the U.S. Equities Strategy and Global Strategy, this is 1.00% annually of AUM. This creates a stable, AUM-linked revenue stream that scales with client asset levels.
- Performance Fees - High-Water Mark: The Global Strategy includes a 10% net profit allocation subject to a high-water mark, meaning performance fees are only charged on gains above the highest previously achieved value. This aligns firm interests with client returns and protects against cumulative losses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | U.S. Equities Strategy - 1.00% annual AUM fee |
| Hybrid | Annual | Global Strategy - 1.00% AUM plus 10% performance fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Marvin & Palmer Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Marvin & Palmer Associates is a global equity investment manager that provides actively managed portfolios to institutional and high-net-worth clients. It offers two separately managed account strategies (U.S. Equities Strategy benchmarked to the S&P 500 and a Global Strategy using ETFs/ADRs for absolute returns) and one pooled long/short equity fund (MPA Global). The firm charges an annual AUM-based management fee, supplemented by a high-water-mark performance fee on the Global Strategy, in exchange for disciplined, concentrated global equity management backed by a proprietary screening system and weekly risk reporting.
Product overview
Marvin & Palmer Associates offers three distinct investment strategies: MPA Global (a long/short equity fund with global mandate formed in July 2024), Global Strategy - Separately Managed (absolute returns-focused separately managed accounts), and U.S. Equities Strategy (domestic long-only separate accounts). These strategies are offered as separately managed accounts or pooled funds, targeting institutional and high-net-worth investors seeking global equity exposure with varying risk/return profiles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MPA Global: Long/short equity fund with a global mandate, balanced moderate directional strategy with global focus on alpha generation.
- Global Strategy - SMA
- U.S. Equities Strategy
Products and services
- U.S. Equities Strategy Implemented for investors on a separate account basis, investing in U.S.-listed equities managed relative to the S&P 500 Index. The strategy invests in high-quality companies supported by favorable industry trends with a target range of 20-30 holdings, and is offered for an annual AUM fee of 1.00%.
- Global Strategy - Separately Managed Separately managed account strategy focused on absolute returns that uses ETFs, US-listed companies, and ADRs to invest across different asset types including countries, sectors, fixed income, and commodities. Allows clients to benefit from global investment themes while being able to be more defensive during challenging markets, with a 1.00% annual AUM fee and 10% net profit performance allocation subject to a high-water mark, benchmarked informationally to 60% MSCI World / 40% Cash.
- MPA Global A long/short equity strategy with a global mandate that employs a balanced, moderate directional approach. The strategy operates with moderate gross and net exposure, is generally concentrated, and the short book seeks to generate profits as well as mitigate risk, formed by combining MPA Asia and Global Opportunities Funds.
Companies that use Marvin & Palmer Associates
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Marvin & Palmer Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Marvin & Palmer Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Advisory Board (Sam Nunn, Alan Schwartz, Pedro Aspe, James McNulty, James Kelly, Klaus Lederer)coreThe Advisory Board is a distinctive group of individuals who have served at highest levels of government and finance. They meet bimonthly to provide expert advice on global, national, and regional issues. Each member owns an economic interest in the firm. Members include: Sam Nunn (former U.S. Senator), Alan D. Schwartz (former CEO of Bear Stearns), Dr. Pedro Aspe (former Mexican Finance Minister), James McNulty (former CME President), James Kelly (former Assistant Secretary of State), and Klaus Lederer (senior executive).
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Marvin & Palmer Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Southeastern Asset Management (Longleaf Partners): Boutique concentrated global value manager with a multi-decade cycle-tested process and an institutional/intermediary client base — closely analogous to MPA's concentrated global equity strategies.
- Harris Associates (Oakmark Funds): Boutique concentrated-value equity manager with deep institutional roots and a multi-decade track record; comparable to Marvin & Palmer in concentrated portfolio construction and fundamental research process.
- Harding Loevner: Global and international equity specialist managing institutional and intermediary mandates with concentrated, fundamental portfolios — closely aligned with MPA's Global Strategy and MPA Global in both product and distribution model.
- Tweedy, Browne Company: Boutique global equity value manager with a long, multi-decade track record, concentrated portfolios, and a fundamentally-driven, low-turnover process — directly comparable in style and client base to Marvin & Palmer's global strategies.
- Ariel Investments: Boutique concentrated U.S. and international equity manager with a long-term fundamental approach and institutional client base; similar in size, style, and target client mix to Marvin & Palmer.
- Driehaus Capital Management: Boutique active equity manager running concentrated, fundamentally-driven U.S. and global strategies — comparable in product structure (SMA + pooled vehicles) and target client segments to Marvin & Palmer.
- Matthews Asia: Asia and global equity specialist for institutional and intermediary clients; particularly relevant given Marvin & Palmer's heritage in MPA Asia and continued global/emerging markets exposure.
- First Eagle Investment Management: Multi-decade boutique specializing in global value equities with strong institutional and high-net-worth distribution, similar concentrated mandates, and a comparable cycle-tested long-term track record.
- Artisan Partners: Public asset manager with a stable of concentrated, high-conviction global and U.S. equity teams; directly comparable to MPA in investment style and in running multiple equity strategies simultaneously.
Broad incumbents
- Lazard Asset Management: Large, well-established global equity and multi-asset manager competing with MPA for the same institutional global equity mandates, but with a much broader product platform and global distribution scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Marvin & Palmer Associates social profiles
Digital presenceMarvin & Palmer Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Marvin & Palmer Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Marvin & Palmer Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Marvin & Palmer Associates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Marvin & Palmer Associates
What does Marvin & Palmer Associates do?
Marvin & Palmer Associates is a global equity investment manager that provides actively managed portfolios to institutional and high-net-worth clients. It offers two separately managed account strategies (U.S. Equities Strategy benchmarked to the S&P 500 and a Global Strategy using ETFs/ADRs for absolute returns) and one pooled long/short equity fund (MPA Global). The firm charges an annual AUM-based management fee, supplemented by a high-water-mark performance fee on the Global Strategy, in exchange for disciplined, concentrated global equity management backed by a proprietary screening system and weekly risk reporting.
Is Marvin & Palmer Associates a public or private company?
Marvin & Palmer Associates is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Marvin & Palmer Associates founded?
Marvin & Palmer Associates was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Marvin & Palmer Associates based?
Marvin & Palmer Associates is headquartered in Wilmington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Marvin & Palmer Associates make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Asset Management Fees - Fixed Percentage is the primary driver. The others are performance Fees - High-Water Mark.
Who are Marvin & Palmer Associates's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Southeastern Asset Management (Longleaf Partners), Harris Associates (Oakmark Funds), Harding Loevner, Tweedy, Browne Company, Ariel Investments, Driehaus Capital Management, Matthews Asia, First Eagle Investment Management and Artisan Partners. Lazard Asset Management is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Marvin & Palmer Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Marvin & Palmer Associates.
What industry is Marvin & Palmer Associates in?
Marvin & Palmer Associates's product category is Global Equity Asset Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAHAAAA, Fundamental/Discretionary Equity Long/Short, with a secondary code of FSAHAAAH, Large-Cap Equity Long/Short. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.