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Consulting Group

Manager Research

Choosing a professional portfolio manager is one of the most important decisions any investor can make. Given the thousands of managers and funds available, finding the right investment manager can be a challenge.

To help investors make these difficult decisions, our Investment Advisor Research team at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney has developed a disciplined process for evaluating investment managers. Our research is focused on a review of both qualitative and quantitative factors; factors that are designed to deliver a wealth of detailed information about the investment products available through our advisory programs.

Goals of Investment Advisor Research

  • We seek to offer our clients a diverse selection of independent, third-party investment managers and products who meet or exceed our quality standards
  • We seek to provide practical, actionable advice that will enable clients to select appropriate managers and effectively monitor their on-going performance
  • Where appropriate, we seek to help clients take advantage of shorter-term market trends that may favor specific managers or strategies
  • Approved List: Investment products that meet acceptable research standards have passed a process that examines a variety of factors known to influence manager quality. A research analyst and an investment officer make a final decision to include or not include an investment product on our Approved List.
  • Focus List: Our research analysts believe that investment products from the Approved List and a broad universe of potential investment candidates have the potential to outperform the appropriate market benchmark or a respective peer group over a longer period, typically greater than three years. Before they are recommended to our clients, Focus List products following a more intensive quantitative and qualitative review of the investment manager.

Updated weekly. For more current information call your Financial Advisor.

Please contact your advisor for more information about available products, services and research.

For more information, please contact your Financial Advisor.

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