Bill Ackman's $5 billion fund trades 20% below its NAV as S&P 500 soars — and high fees aren't helping

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square USA fund (PSUS) has seen its share price drop 20% below its net-asset value (NAV) following its April 2020 IPO, while the S&P 500 has soared. The fund's NAV is estimated at $50.32 per share, while its current market price is around $40. Ackman has expressed frustration with the fund's valuation, citing technical factors from the IPO and ineffective marketing as primary causes.

However, underperformance may also stem from his investment preferences, focusing on free-cash-flow-generative North American companies at attractive valuations, which may not align with market trends. Additionally, PSUS carries a high annual management fee of about 2%, making it less attractive compared to low-cost ETFs and mutual funds.

Ackman plans to promote the fund further and has recently made significant investments in companies like Visa, Mastercard, Netflix, S&P Global, Intercontinental Exchange, and Alcon.