Stock Market Glossary
High-water mark
Fee rule under which a performance fee should arise only above a previous peak.
In brief: Fee rule under which a performance fee should arise only above a previous peak.
Meaning in practice
A high-water mark is intended to prevent a fund manager from collecting a new performance fee quickly after a loss. The definition of the peak, reference period and any reset matter. The rule is useful but does not replace checking the full fee structure and after-fee performance.
Context for investors and traders
For investors, the term becomes practical in the context of objectives, time horizon, risk capacity and costs. A suitable solution can differ between two people even when they consider the same product or metric.
How to use this in practice
The term becomes practical when expressed in numbers: what is the position weight, which costs apply, what loss is possible and what role does it play in the portfolio? These questions prevent an otherwise useful product from becoming too large or being used at the wrong time.
What to keep in mind
Include taxes, spreads, product structure and personal liquidity reserves in comparisons. Historical returns and a fund’s or index’s characteristics describe the past, not a promised future result.