University News | September 26, 2011

Stanford endowment growth beats Harvard's

Endowment, growing faster than Harvard's, rises 19.5 percent to $16.5 billion.

Stanford Management Company today reported investment returns of 22.4 percent on endowment assets for the 12 months ended June 30. After accounting for gifts received and distributions to support Stanford operations, the endowment rose 19.5 percent, to $16.5 billion, at the end of the university’s fiscal year (on August 31), from $13.8 billion at the end of fiscal 2010. Stanford is completing a very large capital campaign, which has helped sustain vigorous endowment growth the past two years.

Stanford’s fiscal 2011 results slightly exceeded those reported last week by Harvard Management Company (HMC): a 21.4 percent rate of return on endowment assets, and 16 percent growth in the endowment’s value, to $32 billion, after accounting for gifts received and distributions. The Stanford investment managers also managed to edge HMC in fiscal 2010, achieving returns of 14.4 percent versus Harvard’s 11 percent.

Princeton and Yale, the other comparable institutions with large endowments pursuing similar strategies, have yet to report.

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