Morningstar Line Awakens

By Staff Writer

June 01, 2008 at 04:00 AM

Share & Print

Morningstar Investment Services launched a managed account service consisting of a line-up of five actively managed portfolios that use ETFs.

Ameritas Investment Corp. and Centaurus Financial, two independent broker-dealer firms, have selected Morningstar Managed ETF Portfolios for use by their investment advisor representatives. Ameritas has 600 advisor representatives and Centaurus has 500.

All Morningstar managed portfolios, including these latest ETF portfolios, are available to financial advisors through multiple custodians.

Morningstar Managed ETF Portfolios are actively managed using a "core and explore" investment process. This strategy combines "core" positions that provide exposure to broad asset classes with "explore" positions that seek to add value by taking advantage of opportunities in the markets.

The selection of explore positions are based on a proprietary ETF-evaluation system developed by Morningstar Investment Services that combines macroeconomic and fundamental factors. Other factors considered by Morningstar are the fund's composition, structure and liquidity.

Morningstar Investment Services is a registered investment advisor and wholly owned subsidiary of Chicago-based Morningstar. At the end of 2007 Morningstar Investment Services had more than $2 billion in assets under management.

NOT FOR REPRINT