Morningstar Inc. announced Thursday plans to launch rankings and research on exchange-traded fund (ETF) managed portfolios later this year. The provider of independent investment research made the announcement at its second annual ETF Invest Conference in Chicago, where it is headquartered.
Of more than 330 ETF managed portfolios with about $22 billion in assets now tracked by Morningstar, about 30% were launched within the past three years and the number continues to increase, the firm said in its news release. ETF managed portfolios are primarily separate account strategies that have more than 50% of a portfolio's assets in ETFs.
"By expanding the research available for ETF managed portfolios, we aim to increase the awareness and transparency of this rapidly growing area of the industry," said Andrew Gogerty, ETF managed portfolios strategist for Morningstar, in a statement. "These strategies typically offer greater tactical flexibility than a traditional individual security separate account strategy, but no other firm is providing commentary, research, and education for advisors in this area."
