Morningstar fund analysts have started 2023 with the annual ritual: the selection of nominees and winners for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence. Since 2022, the nominees and winners are no longer determined based on their historical risk-adjusted returns over the past five years, but instead the selection is driven by the qualitative analysis of Morningstar’s European fund analysts. We hand out four category awards and two asset manager awards.

Morningstar fund analysts have started 2023 with the annual ritual: the selection of nominees and winners for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence. Since 2022, the nominees and winners are no longer determined based on their historical risk-adjusted returns over the past five years, but instead the selection is driven by the qualitative analysis of Morningstar’s European fund analysts. We hand out four category awards and two asset manager awards.

Category Awards

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are handed out to those mutual funds that have not only distinguished themselves on the basis of their outstanding historical risk-adjusted returns, but which, in the opinion of Morningstar’s fund analysts, also differentiate themselves from the competition. We expect that their outstanding management team and a proven investment process give these strategies the ability to continue to deliver superior returns versus their category benchmark in the future. The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are thus primarily qualitative and forward-looking, with the analysis leading to the Morningstar Analyst Rating playing a crucial role. This makes the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence unique of their kind.

Selection process

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence category awards are handed out in four disciplines: Best Europe Equity Fund, Best Global Equity Fund, Best Euro Bond Fund and Best Euro Allocation Fund.

The qualitative Morningstar Analyst Rating assigned by fund analysts plays a central role in the selection process for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence. To qualify as a candidate for an award, a fund must be rated in one of the Morningstar categories eligible for the respective category award. To qualify for the longlist, the fund must have a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Gold, Silver or Bronze for the relevant fund class accessible to retail investors in Luxembourg. A shortlist is then compiled based on historical risk-adjusted performance, with a focus on performance in 2022, combined with nominations from fund analysts. After debating the shortlisted candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Asset Manager Award

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence for fund houses are handed out to fund houses that not only stand out on the basis of the strong performance of their fund range, but also, in the opinion of Morningstar’s fund analysts, possess an outstanding investment culture and put investors’ interests first. The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are thus primarily qualitative in nature, with the parent analysis that is part of the analysis leading to the Morningstar Analyst Rating playing a crucial role.

Selection process

To qualify as a candidate for the fund house award, a fund house must have been awarded a Parent Pillar rating of Above Average or High by Morningstar’s fund analysts. In addition, they must be responsible for managing at least 10 funds available in the local market. The longlist is then reduced to a shortlist through a quantitative screening process that looks at the historical risk-adjusted performance of the funds on offer in the local market, supplemented by nominations from fund analysts. After

debating the shortlisted candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Asset Manager Sustainable-Investing Award

In addition to the regular fund house award, there is also an award for the best fund house in sustainable investing. This award is handed out to the asset manager that not only scores well on the basis of the Morningstar Sustainability Rating, but is also strongly committed to integrating environmental, social and governance factors into its fund offering. These asset managers typically have a clearly defined ESG philosophy, a strong degree of ESG integration into investment processes and adequate resources to conduct sustainability research. In addition, these fund houses are characterised by their extensive engagement and proxy-voting activities.

Selection process

For the award for the best fund house in sustainable investing, only asset managers that have been awarded a Morningstar ESG Commitment Level of Leader or Advanced by Morningstar’s fund analysts are eligible. To arrive at a longlist, an average Morningstar Sustainability Rating is calculated for these fund houses based on the funds in the fund range that have such a rating, supplemented by nominations by fund analysts. After debating the selected candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Nominees and winners announcement

The nominees for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence will be announced on Wednesday 22 February. The winners will then be announced at a live event on Wednesday 8 March.

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are handed out to those mutual funds that have not only distinguished themselves on the basis of their outstanding historical risk-adjusted returns, but which, in the opinion of Morningstar’s fund analysts, also differentiate themselves from the competition. We expect that their outstanding management team and a proven investment process give these strategies the ability to continue to deliver superior returns versus their category benchmark in the future. The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are thus primarily qualitative and forward-looking, with the analysis leading to the Morningstar Analyst Rating playing a crucial role. This makes the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence unique of their kind.

Selection process

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence category awards are handed out in four disciplines: Best Europe Equity Fund, Best Global Equity Fund, Best Euro Bond Fund and Best Euro Allocation Fund.

The qualitative Morningstar Analyst Rating assigned by fund analysts plays a central role in the selection process for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence. To qualify as a candidate for an award, a fund must be rated in one of the Morningstar categories eligible for the respective category award. To qualify for the longlist, the fund must have a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Gold, Silver or Bronze for the relevant fund class accessible to retail investors in Luxembourg. A shortlist is then compiled based on historical risk-adjusted performance, with a focus on performance in 2022, combined with nominations from fund analysts. After debating the shortlisted candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Asset Manager Award

The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence for fund houses are handed out to fund houses that not only stand out on the basis of the strong performance of their fund range, but also, in the opinion of Morningstar’s fund analysts, possess an outstanding investment culture and put investors’ interests first. The Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence are thus primarily qualitative in nature, with the parent analysis that is part of the analysis leading to the Morningstar Analyst Rating playing a crucial role.

Selection process

To qualify as a candidate for the fund house award, a fund house must have been awarded a Parent Pillar rating of Above Average or High by Morningstar’s fund analysts. In addition, they must be responsible for managing at least 10 funds available in the local market. The longlist is then reduced to a shortlist through a quantitative screening process that looks at the historical risk-adjusted performance of the funds on offer in the local market, supplemented by nominations from fund analysts. After

debating the shortlisted candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Asset Manager Sustainable-Investing Award

In addition to the regular fund house award, there is also an award for the best fund house in sustainable investing. This award is handed out to the asset manager that not only scores well on the basis of the Morningstar Sustainability Rating, but is also strongly committed to integrating environmental, social and governance factors into its fund offering. These asset managers typically have a clearly defined ESG philosophy, a strong degree of ESG integration into investment processes and adequate resources to conduct sustainability research. In addition, these fund houses are characterised by their extensive engagement and proxy-voting activities.

Selection process

For the award for the best fund house in sustainable investing, only asset managers that have been awarded a Morningstar ESG Commitment Level of Leader or Advanced by Morningstar’s fund analysts are eligible. To arrive at a longlist, an average Morningstar Sustainability Rating is calculated for these fund houses based on the funds in the fund range that have such a rating, supplemented by nominations by fund analysts. After debating the selected candidates, fund analysts cast their votes to determine the final ranking. The winner is determined by majority vote.

Nominees and winners announcement

The nominees for the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence will be announced on Wednesday 22 February. The winners will then be announced at a live event on Wednesday 8 March.