The hedge fund manager celebrates a year of partnership with the Rugby Centurions Foundation after generating 100-fold returns on its flagship funds.

Reaching 100 is a defining milestone that resonates universally, whether in sport, life, or investment. It’s a mark of dedication, performance, and lasting impact, which is exactly why, a year ago, Peregrine Capital and the Rugby Centurions Foundation joined forces.

As the only hedge fund manager in South Africa to have returned 100 times its initial investment to investors, twice over, via its flagship High Growth and Pure Hedge funds, Peregrine Capital knows what it takes to go from 1 to 100.

Twelve months on, that partnership is only gathering pace.

The Rugby Centurions honours elite players who have earned 100 or more international test caps for their country. It is a mark reached by only a handful of athletes in the game’s history, and one that demands a decade or more of playing at the highest level while withstanding injury, form slumps and selection pressure.

Peregrine Capital’s own numbers tell a similar story of endurance

Since inception on 1 February 2000, the flagship High Growth Fund has delivered a cumulative net return of 20 809.20% (annualised: 22.42% since inception).

This means R1 million invested at inception would be worth more than R209 million today*. In 2020, the High Growth Fund became the first fund in South African history to pass the 100x net return mark, and has continued to compound well beyond it since.

The Pure Hedge Fund, which has never had a negative calendar year since its inception in July 1998, has since joined this exclusive club too – its cumulative net return now stands at 10 929.59% since inception, or roughly a 110x return on capital**.

Together, the two hedge funds remain the only ones in South African history to have crossed the 100-times threshold.

Since launch, the partnership has moved from a single event into an ongoing programme and engagement built around the shared idea of what it takes to go from 1 to 100.

In July this year, Peregrine Capital and the Rugby Centurions released a new television advertisement on SuperSport.

In August, the partnership returns to the fundraising calendar.

Peregrine Capital will host a series of events bringing together the Rugby Centurions alongside two of the game’s most decorated All Black Centurions, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, to raise further funds for charitable causes.

In October, a three-part TV series will be flighted on SuperSport celebrating The Centurions’ journey of 1 to 100.

As The Centurions prepares to welcome a new intake of players to their ranks in the coming months, Peregrine Capital looks forward to their continued support and growth of this partnership.

Jacques Conradie, CEO of Peregrine Capital, says: “A year in, this partnership has become exactly what we hoped it would be – not a single campaign, but an ongoing way of showing what it takes to compound success over time, on the field and in the market. We’re proud to keep building on it with new events, new content series and new Centurions joining us in the months ahead.”

Legendary Springbok John Smit’s comments from launch still capture the thinking behind the partnership: “The number 100 represents a clear threshold and very few do achieve it. It implies resilience, focus, professionalism, consistency, passion, discipline, and determination.

“These qualities are the bedrock that forms the foundation for a rugby player’s journey to reach 100 international test caps.

“We saw these shared values reflected in Peregrine Capital, too, which is why this partnership made sense to us,” said Smit.

Through the partnership, Peregrine Capital continues to bring The Centurions’ legacy into the spotlight through our shared values – the very qualities that define both legendary athletes and superior investors on the journey of what it takes to go from 1 to 100.

* Refers to the Peregrine Capital High Growth QI Fund. R1 million invested at inception is worth more than R209 million, compared with R14.5 million for the SA Multi Asset – High Equity Category and R14.6 million for CPI +5. Annualised returns since inception (February 2000): High Growth Fund: 22.42% | SA Multi Asset – High Equity Category: 10.66% | CPI +5: 10.67%.

** Refers to the Peregrine Capital Pure Hedge QI Fund. R1 million invested at inception is worth more than R110 million, compared with R13.9 million for the SA Multi Asset – Low Equity Category and R4.4 million for CPI. Annualised returns since inception (July 1998): Pure Hedge Fund: 18.29% | SA Multi Asset – Low Equity Category: 9.86% | CPI: 5.42%.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Peregrine Capital Collective Investments (RF) Proprietary Limited (“PCCI”) is a registered and approved manager of collective investment schemes in hedge funds. Peregrine Capital Proprietary Limited (“Peregrine Capital”), is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP 607) under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, No. 37 of 2002 and has been appointed as the investment manager or sub-investment manager of the portfolios. Performance information and comparisons shown reflects historical returns and is provided for informational and comparative purposes only. Collective investment schemes are medium to long-term investments. The value of participatory interests or the investment may go down as well as up. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. Collective investment schemes are traded at ruling prices and can engage in borrowing and scrip lending. A schedule of fees and charges and maximum commissions is available on request from PCCI or Peregrine Capital. Neither PCCI nor Peregrine Capital provides any guarantee with respect to the capital or return of a portfolio. PCCI retains full legal responsibility for the applicable portfolios. PCCI has the right to close the portfolios to new clients to manage them more efficiently in accordance with their mandates. Peregrine Capital High Growth QI Hedge Fund: Performance fees are payable on positive performance using a participation rate of 20%. A high watermark is applied, which ensures that performance fees will only be charged on new performance. There is no cap on the Rand amount of performance fees. Peregrine Capital Pure Hedge QI Hedge Fund: Performance fees are payable on positive performance, in excess of the hurdle, using a participation rate of 20%. A high watermark is applied, which ensures that performance fees will only be charged on new performance. There is no cap on the Rand amount of performance fees. Performance has been calculated using net NAV to NAV numbers with income re-invested. Individual investor investment performance may differ as a result of initial fees (if applicable), the actual investment date, reinvestment timing, distribution dates, or applicable taxes. Where periods of longer than 1 year are used in calculating past performance, certain figures may be annualised. Annualised performance is the average return per year over the period. Actual annual figures and investment performance calculations are available on request at ask@peregrine.co.za. The performance calculated and shown is that of the portfolio, based on a lump sum contribution on the inception date of the fund. The investment performance for each period shown reflects the net return for clients who have been fully invested for that period. The performance history is contained in the portfolios’ minimum disclosure documents, which are available at www.peregrine.co.za

Data to 30 June 2026 – Source: Peregrine Capital, Morningstar, Bloomberg.

The calculation of all net returns from 1 February 2000 until 30 November 2016 relates to the Peregrine High Growth Fund, prior to its inclusion under CISCA. Thereafter, the data relates to the Peregrine Capital High Growth QI Hedge Fund* (“High Growth Fund”). The calculation of all net returns from 1 July 1998 until 30 November 2016 relates to the Peregrine Pure Hedge Fund, prior to its inclusion under CISCA. Thereafter, the data relates to the Peregrine Capital Pure Hedge QI Hedge Fund** (“Pure Hedge Fund”).