LONDON, 28 July 2022 -- Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced the launch of the Morningstar UK Managed Portfolio database. The first independently collected, ‘whole of market’ comparable dataset of UK Managed Portfolios, which provide users with the ability to view consistently calculated performance and Morningstar categorised Portfolios. This database will also include other industry leading Morningstar research and ratings, including Sustainability Ratings, a wealth of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) metrics and the newly launched Morningstar Portfolio Risk Scores.

The Morningstar UK Managed Portfolio database is completely independent, there is no charge for providers to submit their data, nor is there any charge for Morningstar to calculate or to distribute to advisers. Independence and transparency are how we protect the integrity of our work in empowering investors to achieve their financial goals. The addition of this dataset increases the value of the services we provide through different products. The data is free to view via the Morningstar UK Adviser portal at www.morningstar.co.uk.

Given the growth of UK Managed Portfolio products and limited options for advisers to achieve whole of market comparisons, this database provides transparency, comparability, and a greater level of insight for financial advisers, who will have free access to view the data via the Adviser portal at www.morningstar.co.uk.

As of today, nearly 900 portfolios and over 50 providers are available to view in the database, Morningstar aims to cover the majority of portfolios and providers by the end of 2022.

“As asset flows into Managed Portfolios are accelerating, Morningstar believe it’s important to provide Advisers with the same level of transparency on managed portfolios as is available for funds. In the past, the UK adviser market has struggled to compare the vast majority of solutions on a like-for-like basis.” said Anastasia Georgiou, Director, Client Solutions, Adviser Segment, EMEA, “Given the growing global trend for outsourcing Managed Portfolios, demand for greater transparency and insight among the UK adviser market will only grow.”

“For the first time, advisers will now be in a position to perform whole of market research within the MPS market without the need for cumbersome licences and permissions from the DFM. It finally puts MPS on the same footing as multi-asset funds and should accelerate the trend towards segregated model portfolios vs the single-line, single-price solution amongst those genuinely independent advisers. Game changing stuff from Morningstar.” added Kevin Doran, Managing Director, AJ Bell Investments.

Antony Champion, head of intermediaries at Brewin Dolphin, commented: “As an investment provider to the new Morningstar UK Managed Portfolio database, Brewin Dolphin welcomes the opportunity to assist advisers in ensuring they have transparency when deciding the most appropriate solution for their client’s needs.”

We are grateful to the Advisory Group of Providers who were consulted throughout the process of defining, collecting and bringing the database to market. The Council members included:

In addition, we held a panel discussion on Managed Portfolio Databases with Jeremy Beckworth, FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), who discussed the merits of the database to the UK market, you can access the recording here.

Morningstar has also today launched our first research paper focused on the UK Models Landscape, written by Tom Mills, Senior Manager Research Analyst. You can find the report here

Methodology

Holdings Based Returns

You can access the methodology for Holdings Based Returns here

Morningstar Portfolio Risk Scores

You can access the methodology for Morningstar Portfolio Risk Scores here

Morningstar Sustainability Rating

You can access the methodology for Morningstar Sustainability Rating here

About Morningstar UK Limited and Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar UK Limited is a subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. (“the company”), 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 debt and 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, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately US$265 billion in assets under advisement and management as of 30 June 2022. The company has operations in 29 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on Twitter @Morningstar Inc.

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