Mutual Funds

For more than 20 years, FRC has identified and interpreted mutual fund market trends and has been called upon to advise leading executives to help determine the most effective course of action to win and retain clients and assets. Today, as a full service research and consulting firm, we work along side 90% of the Top 50 fund companies as well as numerous boutique and star-up firms. Given FRC’s strong foundation, long history and frequent media placements it is clear that the mutual fund industry views FRC as a critical source of insight and strategy to guide product development, marketing and distribution decisions.

Reports

Asset Management Industry Market Sizing, 2012-2017
Serving as a time-tested staple in the industry, FRC's Asset Management Industry Market Sizing study assists investment management firms in understanding and building competitive strategies for each of the key distribution channels of the U.S. retail mutual fund market. Now in its 7th year, for the first-time, this study also explores mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment products within the institutional channel. FRC utilizes asset class and category breakdowns that incor¬porate both bottom-up and top-down views on a product-by-product basis. Offering the latest in macro-economic thinking, the study provides product and channel managers a view into the larger picture of projections for mutual fund sales and assets under management. FRC analyst commentary explaining the trends and busi¬ness activities shaping industry projections is presented, as is a cross-channel analysis of gross sales, redemptions, net sales, assets, and growth rates for each interme¬diary channel. This report is specifically designed to assist firms in evaluating and developing distribution channel strategies for near- and long-term success. Download Market Sizing Fact Sheet    Download Table of Contents

Mutual Fund Market Sizing, 2011-2016
This study serves as a must-have resource for investment management firms to understand the changing dynamics of the key distribution channels in the U.S. retail mutual fund industry. Produced since 2005, FRC provides its latest model of the fund distribution landscape and forward-looking projections for mutual fund sales and assets under management, including analyst commentary explaining the trends and business activities shaping these projections. A detailed cross-channel analysis of gross sales, redemptions, net sales, assets, and growth rates are provided for each of the distinct intermediary channels.Download Fact Sheet

Winning Strategies for Marketing and Distributing to the RIA
This report presents a unique-to-the-industry road map for successful marketing and distributing to the RIA channel. In the report, FRC unveils strategies and suggestions for penetrating this highly-coveted channel by providing a deep understanding of the key differentiators of RIAs and their business model, as well as the requirements for successful marketing response and greater wholesaler interaction. Unlike other industry reports on the RIA channel, this report supplies actionable, step-by-step, recommendations for implementing or improving RIA channel strategies, including selecting the right wholesaler model, incorporating social media technologies, and harnessing the power of the brand. These recommendations are based on a longitudinal view of the reactions and responses of RIAs drawn from FRC's survey series of the intermediary markets focusing on marketing and wholesaling effectiveness. The report also incorporates insights from interviews with asset managers and RIAs with whom FRC maintains close relationships. This must-have guide is designed specifically for marketing and national sales teams at asset management firms who seek to understand—"how to effectively and efficiently distribute to the RIA channel."Download Fact Sheet

Re-Evaluating the Wirehouse Opportunity: Gatekeeper, Asset Manager, and Advisor Insights
In this first-of-its-kind study, FRC examines the wirehouse landscape and its opportunities. The study is based upon exclusive interviews FRC conducted with gatekeepers at all four wirehouses—Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, UBS AG, and Wells Fargo & Company— interviews with asset management firms, and survey data from advisors, providing a 360-degree view of this evolving distribution channel. This thorough undertaking uncovers effective strategies for asset managers to improve their chances for wirehouse platform placement.Download Fact Sheet

Reshaping the Financial Services Industry: Operating Under Dodd-Frank
Since the last year’s passage of the Dodd-Frank regulatory reform bill, the brokerage industry now faces the daunting task of properly resourcing brokers and safely bringing easy-to-execute, expert advice and fiduciary standing to every broker and advisor. In FRC’s 2010 report, The New Fiduciary Standard – How Dodd-Frank will Transform the Brokerage Profession, FRC provided an early view on regulatory changes and their likely impact on the brokerage industry. Following the SEC’s interpretation and ruling early in 2011, the industry will have material clarification on the fiduciary requirements under Dodd-Frank. This report reviews many of the prior recommendations in the 2010 publication and establishes a more concrete and up-to-date view of what regulatory reform means to broker/dealers and their staff, as well as potential action steps to conform to the new legislation.Download Fact Sheet

Fund Category Guide for Long-Term Mutual Funds and ETFs
This desk-top reference tool has been designed for investment professionals tasked with launching new funds or evaluating their fund product line-up. The Guidecontains seven heat maps illustrating the annual net sales data from 2000 to October 31, 2010 for nearly 175 Lipper categories. Year-end 2010 data will be released shortly.Download Fact Sheet

Examining RIA Trends and Distribution Strategies
This report provides the foundation for understanding this advisor, including a brief review of the more popular RIA business models, and spotlights the characteristics that make this advisor different from other types of advisors. This FRC study tracks the growth of the RIA channel and the increased asset manager pursuit of this intermediary, lists the top 25 RIA firms by assets, and explains how different office models, such as the family office, or the single advisor office, might prove to be a more advantageous pursuit for asset managers. It also discusses the entrance of traditional IBD and regional advisor shops offering this more independent choice and how this may impact asset manager distribution strategy. Finally, the study presents an overview of the typical book of the RIA, including their investment selection and product availability, and highlights the role of Mutual Funds and provides FRC’s Mutual Fund projections for this intermediary channel. Download Fact Sheet

The New Fiduciary Standard: How Dodd-Frank Will Transform the Brokerage Profession
This report examines the recent passage of the Dodd-Frank regulatory reform bill and reveals the likely direction and implications of the SECs study and rule making, and provides a forward-looking perspective of what the new regulatory reform will mean for broker/dealers, asset management firms, and other key industry players. This detailed analysis of the pending reform will provide you with the key insights needed to be best positioned for early action in 2011 and beyond.
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Mutual Fund Market Sizing Distribution Forecast
This study serves as a reference source to understand the changing dynamics of the key distribution channels with regard to mutual fund sales. Here, FRC provides its latest model of the fund distribution landscape, along with forward-looking projections for mutual fund sales and assets under management, as well as analyst commentary explaining the trends and business activities shaping these projections. FRC also provides a detailed cross-channel analysis of gross sales, redemptions, net sales, assets, and growth rates for national broker/dealers ("wirehouses"), regional broker/dealers, independent broker/dealers, banks, insurance companies, and RIAs. Forecasts also are provided for sales and assets for the other "macro" channels: direct-to-investor and retirement/institutional.
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Mid-Year 2010 ETF Review
The power and influence of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) is growing. FRC provides an objective exploration of the key drivers and challenges to their growth. In addition, this timely report contains an analysis of current and historical ETF net flows and assets as of June 2010, as well as growth projections for ETFs through 2014.
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Advisor Action Report
New in 2010, FRC builds on its long history of measuring and tracking advisor attitudes, needs, and behaviors and doing a deep-dive on how and where advisors are doing their jobs. For asset managers and wholesalers, it is critical to know how distribution channels are viewing portfolio management and, therefore, what products might fit into their plans. In this report, FRC examines current asset management strategies and expected changes, use of specific product types in certain roles of asset management strategy, and the comfort level and need for information/education with different products. The study also looks at book composition and planned net additions/subtractions, new products being considered, platform usage and preferences, the ingredients and services of a each platform as well as what works for advisors.
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2009 Advisor Insight Series:
Marketing Effectiveness

2009 Advisor Insight Series:
State of the Financial Advisor Marketplace

State of the Industry Bulletin:
Crafting a Sustainable Fund Product Lineup in an Uncertain Market Environment

Mutual Fund Market Sizing, 2009-2013:
An Analysis of Channels, Sales, & Assets

Investment Process:
Successful Communication for Competitive Advantage (read...)

Actively Managed ETFs Competitive Threat or Passing Fad?

ADVISOR INSIGHT
Wholesaling Effectiveness 2008 (read...)

Caught Between Alpha & Beta:
The Future of Retail Portfolio Construction (read...)

Future Outlook for Lifecycle Funds:
Insights into Emerging Trends and Growth Opportunities (read...)

ADVISOR INSIGHT
Marketing Effectiveness 2008 (read...)

Mutual Fund Market Sizing, 2007-2012:
An Analysis of Channels, Sales, & Assets (read...)

Evolution of the Solution:
Investor Perceptions of Solution-Oriented Investment Products & Services (read...)

Beyond the Collateral:
Unlocking Marketing’s Strategic Potential for Competitive Advantage (read...)

ADVISOR INSIGHT
Wholesaler Effectiveness 2007 (read...)

Harnessing The Power of Value-Added Programs

World of Opportunity in International Funds

Success Factors in Advisor-Assisted Distribution of Mutual Funds

The New Gatekeepers
Navigating the Investment Manager Selection Process at Distributors

Reinventing Distribution Aligning
Wholesaling Initiatives with Corporate Goals

Lifecycle Fund Economics

Effectively Servicing and Supporting the Independent Financial Advisor (read...)

Influencing Mutual Fund Sales
Adapting Wholesaling and Key Accounts to Respond to Advisor and Distributor Needs

For more information contact FRC today at 617-963-8967 or e-mail frcinfo@frcnet.com