Sasha Jovanovic
5 min read
Markets feel on edge right now. Big tech earnings disappointments, rising volatility and headline risk from US politics and the Iran war have reminded investors that gains can reverse fast. That mix is exactly why hedged equity and protective put approaches are getting fresh attention from investors who do not want to sit fully unprotected in cash or fully exposed in plain equities. This article walks through three stocks exposed to these news catalysts and drawn from a hedged equity and options focused screener that investors use to think about cushioning shocks, participating in rebounds and stress testing their own portfolios against the current spike in risk.
The three securities featured below are only a starting sample, and the full screen surfaced 7 more companies with equally detailed hedged equity and protective put narratives that are not covered in this article.
To see the wider opportunity set, head straight into the US Hedged-Equity and Protective-Put Strategies screener to identify, compare and analyze the vehicles that best fit your risk budget and market view.
Apollo Global Management (APO)
Apollo Global Management runs a global alternatives platform across private equity, credit and real assets, where hedging and derivatives are central tools for many client portfolios. The business draws about US$6.5b from Asset Management, US$1.4b from Principal Investing and US$25.9b from Retirement Services, and the stock’s market value sits near US$68.4b.
Apollo Global Management matters for a hedged-equity screen because its funds often pair credit and equity exposure with options and other protections that aim to soften drawdowns when volatility spikes. Investors looking for exposure to that toolkit may find that the real swing factor is how one unseen pressure shapes demand for downside protection and pricing power in these vehicles.
That hidden pressure is exactly what you are weighing when you read the 3 key rewards and 2 important warning signs, where downside protection and upside potential pull in different directions.
Blackstone (BX)
Blackstone plugs into this hedged equity and protective put theme through its hedge fund solutions and derivatives driven mandates, which aim to keep large institutional portfolios invested while shaping how they react when volatility spikes. That sets the stage for a closer look at where its growth focus really lies.
Blackstone is a global alternative asset manager running private equity, real estate, credit, hedge fund solutions and multi asset strategies, with revenue led by Private Equity at about US$6.0b, Real Estate at roughly US$3.9b, Credit & Insurance at around US$3.3b and Multi Asset Investing near US$1.1b, and a market value close to US$147.4b.
