Cairn Investment Group is a leading alternative investment firm founded in 1997 and headquartered in Minnesota, USA. With over 25 years of experience, Cairn has established itself as a trusted partner for institutional investors seeking compelling risk-adjusted returns. The firm utilizes a multi-strategy approach across real assets, private credit, and equity investments. Some key focus areas include real estate, infrastructure, aviation finance, specialty finance, and growth equity. Cairn leverages its deep expertise and extensive network to source unique investment opportunities and manage external capital through comingled funds, separate accounts, and joint ventures. The firm has delivered strong performance across economic cycles with an emphasis on capital preservation, earning the long-term backing of pensions, endowments, foundations, and family offices globally.
A Pioneer in Alternative Investing with Strong Track Record
Cairn Investment Group entered the alternative investment space in 1997, relatively early compared to many of today’s private market participants. The firm has successfully navigated multiple market cycles and stressed environments. As of Q1 2022, Cairn manages over $3.4 billion in assets across comingled funds and separate accounts. The team’s careful approach of applying rigorous due diligence, active asset management, and prudent use of leverage has enabled Cairn to produce risk-adjusted net returns between 12-15% over the past decade while protecting investor capital.
Real Asset and Specialty Finance Expertise
As a provider of both debt and equity capital, Cairn has extensive expertise across real assets and specialty finance sectors. The firm co-invests across strategies alongside its limited partners, ensuring alignment of interests. Within real estate, Cairn focuses on investments with durable cash flows, downside protection, and value-add potential. The portfolio includes multifamily, industrial, single-family rental, medical office, self storage, senior living, and other property types. Infrastructure investments target core transportation and logistics assets like airports and ports which serve as key economic gateways. Specialty finance investments provide capital to niche industries like aviation and railcar leasing which offer differentiated risk-return profiles.
Disciplined Underwriting and Risk Management
Cairn utilizes rigorous upfront due diligence and ongoing asset management to identify and mitigate risks within its portfolio. The firm’s investment team brings experience across real estate, banking, consulting, accounting, and other relevant backgrounds. Ongoing monitoring includes regular site visits, tenant/borrower reviews, cash flow analysis, and portfolio stress testing across multiple scenarios. Cairn also adheres to conservative leverage targets, utilizes selective hedging strategies, and maintains strong liquidity. This comprehensive approach has helped preserve capital and enabled strong realized returns across market cycles.
Alignment with Investors and Limited Partners
As an independent firm, Cairn is focused solely on delivering superior risk-adjusted returns to its limited partners rather than shareholders or parent companies. The firm invests meaningfully alongside its limited partners in each comingled fund to ensure alignment of interests. Cairn also aims to provide best-in-class investor relations through tools like a client web portal, quarterly reports, annual meetings, advisory board representation, and dedicated points of contact. The firm’s stable capital base and investor-centric culture has led to over 95% historical client retention rate.
In summary, Cairn Investment Group has established a strong track record over 25+ years by taking a prudent and diligent approach to alternative investing across real assets, private credit, and equity strategies. The firm sources unique opportunities, applies rigorous underwriting, manages investments closely, and preserves investor capital through market cycles. Cairn aligns itself with limited partners by having skin in the game. The firm remains well-positioned to continue delivering strong risk-adjusted returns as a trusted steward of institutional capital globally.