The Stanford University endowment posted a 0.4 percent loss on its investments for fiscal 2016, underperforming some large rivals but doing better than Harvard University's 2.0 percent loss.

Last week, Yale University said it had a 3.4 percent gain for the year ended June 30.

The median return for foundations and endowments tracked by the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service was negative 0.3 percent.