Researched Funds

Here at Willis Owen we pride ourselves on the quality of the funds we use. We have access to an experienced and dedicated research team who consider and review hundreds of funds, selecting those which might be right for you. But with so many to choose from, how exactly to they go about making their selection?

OBSR – In-depth, informed and independent

Considerable resources both in terms of time and money are invested when it comes to researching funds. As always, when it comes to choosing funds for the guide and our website, the starting point is the informed research provided to Willis Owen by Old Broad Street Research (OBSR).

Based in the heart of the City of London, OBSR is an independent market-leading research company specialising in analysing multi-manager funds, unit trusts and OEICs.

As OBSR’s Research Director, Richard Romer-Lee, tells us, “Qualitative investment research is at the heart of our business. We conduct independent, in-depth research with a view to understanding what a manager is trying to achieve and whether or not we believe a fund is likely to meet its investment objectives over the long-term”.

He goes on to explain “We achieve this primarily through face-to-face meetings, but we also use quantitative analysis to inform our views”.

OBSR also rates about 250 funds out of a universe of approximately 2,500 funds. They are not paid to rate funds and the number of rated funds is simply the result of their due diligence process. Any fund which receives an OBSR Fund Rating is exceptional of its type and OBSR believes that the fund manager has the ability to meet or exceed the fund’s objectives compared to other funds of a similar type.

Willis Owen feels that investors will find these ratings of use too so we have included them for each of the funds that are featured in the guide and website with:

Making the final round

The Research Team is responsible for the selection of the funds which appear in the guide and website. They consider how many funds to include overall, which sectors are to be covered, and the overall aim is to provide a diversified list of funds across a range of sectors covering different investment strategies and styles.

The Research Team works very closely with OBSR to filter down the funds into a focused list of high quality funds which will interest investors.

As OBSR’s fund ratings identify those funds in which they have the highest conviction, every fund in both our guide and website has an OBSR rating of single A or above.

Each fund chosen has been through OBSR’s rigorous research process and achieved an OBSR rating. In keeping with the philosophy behind the Research Team’s objectives, we have selected a range of funds that provides diversification across asset classes, including funds investing in equities, fixed interest and commercial property, mixed asset and multi-manager recommendations and across investment strategies and styles.

Take your pick

In this year’s ISA and Investment Guide and within the Researched Fund section of our website, Willis Owen offers investors a range of different funds AND there is no standard initial charge on any of them!

Multi-Manager funds

Are you pushed for time or unsure how to pick, manage and maintain your investments on an ongoing basis? Multi-manager funds may be right for you.

With 3 multi-manager funds from Jupiter, Miton and Henderson, there is one for every investor whatever your attitude to risk and investment objective.

Single funds

Want to manage your own portfolio? Willis Owen has selected 10 single funds including income funds, a property fund and one for the ethical investors. You can invest in one or a number of these funds. Just fill in the amounts you want to invest in each fund on the ISA Application Form.

There is space on the ISA Application Form for you to choose your own fund too. Willis Owen offers discounts on over 1,300 funds. Click on “Our Discounts” to see the standard initial charge and work out much you can save on the fund of your choice.

Make the most of your ISA allowance and don’t forget you can invest in an ISA for the 2010/2011 tax year straightaway!

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