Morningstar Announces Nominees for 2017 U.S. Fund Manager of the Year Awards

CHICAGO, Jan. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. MORN, a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced the nominees for its 2017 U.S. Fund Manager of the Year awards. The awards acknowledge managers who not only delivered impressive performance in 2017, but have also generated excellent long-term risk-adjusted returns and have been good stewards of fund shareholders' capital. To recognize outstanding fund managers, Morningstar selects leaders in four categories: domestic stock, international stock, fixed income, and allocation/alternatives.

The nominees for the 2017 Fund Manager of the Year awards in the United States are:

Domestic-Stock Fund Manager of the Year:

• Steven Wymer; Fidelity Growth Company (FDGRX)
• Paul Viera of Earnest Partners LLC; Harbor Small Cap Value (HASCX)
• Larry Puglia; T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth (TRBCX)
• Henry Ellenbogen; T. Rowe Price New Horizons (PRNHX)

International-Stock Fund Manager of the Year:

• Sarah Ketterer, Harry Hartford, and team; Causeway International Value (CIVIX)
• Rajeev Bhaman and John Delano; Oppenheimer Global (OPPAX)
• James Anderson and Thomas Coutts of Baillie Gifford Overseas Ltd. and Simon Webber of Schroder Investment Management; Vanguard International Growth (VWIGX)

Fixed-Income Fund Manager of the Year:

• David Hoffman, Stephen Smith, John McIntyre, and Anujeet Sareen; BrandywineGLOBAL Global Opportunities Bond (GOBSX)
• Daniel Ivascyn, Alfred Murata, and team; PIMCO Income (PIMIX)
• Scott Mather, Mark Kiesel, and Mihir Worah; PIMCO Total Return (PTTRX)
• Michael Collins, Robert Tipp, Richard Piccirillo, and Gregory Peters; Prudential Total Return Bond (PDBZX)
• Ken Leech and team; Western Asset Core Plus Bond (WACPX)

Allocation/Alternatives Fund Manager of the Year:

• Andrew Dierdorf and Brett Sumsion; Fidelity Freedom Target-Date Series (FFFEX)
• Paul Stewart, Michael Buckius, Daniel Ashcraft, and Kenneth Toft; Gateway (GTEYX)
• David Giroux; T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation (PRWCX)
• Anne Lester, Dan Oldroyd and team; JPMorgan SmartRetirement Target-Date Series (JSMIX)

"This year's crop of nominees delivered strong returns to shareholders by sticking to their fundamental investing approach," said Laura Pavlenko Lutton, Morningstar's director of manager research, North America. "These managers have exhibited the discipline and skill that successful investing demands, and they've also demonstrated a strong commitment to shareholders. Our nominees have generated solid past performance, and we think they'll do well in the future."

Morningstar plans to announce its 2017 U.S. Fund Manager of the Year award winners on Jan. 24 live on CNBC's "Power Lunch" program. Highlights about the Morningstar U.S. Domestic-Stock Fund Manager of the Year award nominees are available here. Morningstar will highlight the nominees for the other three categories on Morningstar.com during the next two weeks. Live updates from the award announcement on Jan. 24 will be available on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MorningstarInc or through the event hashtag, #MstarAwards.

Established in 1988, the Morningstar Fund Manager of the Year award recognizes portfolio managers who demonstrate excellent investment skill and the courage to differ from the consensus to benefit investors. To qualify for the award, managers' funds must have not only posted impressive returns for the year, but the managers also must have a record of delivering outstanding long-term risk-adjusted performance and of aligning their interests with shareholders'. Managers' funds must currently have a Morningstar Analyst Rating™ of Gold or Silver. A list of current Morningstar Medalists is available here to Morningstar.com Premium members.  

The Fund Manager of the Year award winners are chosen based on research and in-depth qualitative evaluation by Morningstar's Manager Research Group. For more information about Morningstar Awards, visit https://go.morningstar.com/Morningstar-Awards.  

About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and institutional investors in the private capital markets. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with more than $220 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Sept. 30, 2017. The company has operations in 27 countries.

Morningstar's Manager Research Group consists of various wholly owned subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. including, but not limited to, Morningstar Research Services LLC. Morningstar's Manager Research Group produces various ratings including the Morningstar Analyst Rating for funds and the Morningstar Quantitative Rating for funds. The Analyst Rating is derived from a qualitative assessment process performed by a manager research analyst, whereas the Morningstar Quantitative Rating uses a machine-learning model based on the decision-making processes of Morningstar's analysts, their past ratings decisions, and the data used to support those decisions. In both cases, the ratings are forward-looking assessments and include assumptions of future events, which may or may not occur or may differ significantly from what was assumed. The Analyst Ratings and Quantitative Ratings are statements of opinions, subject to change, are not to be considered as guarantees, and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. This press release is for informational purposes only; references to securities should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the securities.

©2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Media Contact:

Sarah Wirth, +1 312 244-7358 or sarah.wirth@morningstar.com

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SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.