Analysis of the survival capacity of mutual funds: a systematic review of the literature

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to carry out a literature review to determine which variables have the greatest impact on the survival capacity of mutual funds, and if these variables also have an influence on the various ways in which mutual funds disappear. Design/methodology/approach The authors carry out a systematic review of the literature on mutual funds and identify the main features that affect their capacity for survival. Findings The results show that most of the articles are based on data from the US market and that the two most studied variables are the return and the size of the fund. Furthermore, the relationship between the behaviour of variables and the disappearance of funds has mainly been analysed by comparing surviving and non-surviving funds, but without specifying the way in which they disappeared. Finally, the results show that there is no single methodology for examining the survival of funds. Originality/value In the financial literature, no previous literature review has focused on the factors that influence the survival capacity of mutual funds. The authors consider that this review will provide a broader and more realistic vision of the level of academic interest in this field and identify any gaps that exist in the literature available.