High water mark

PrepNuggets

The highest value, net of fees, that a fund has reached in history. This is a feature which ensures that investors will not be charged incentive fees twice on the same gains in their portfolio values.

This is achieved by limiting the incentive fees to apply to the extent that the current value of an investor’s account is above the highest value previously recorded.  Clients are not charged an incentive fee if the latest cumulative return does not exceed the prior high water mark.