An Affirmation from Morningstar

Morningstar announced last week their selections for their 2013 Fund Manager of the Year awards. We were pleased to learn that Dan Ivascyn and Alfred Murata, managers of the PIMCO Income fund, were selected as Fixed-Income Fund Managers of the Year.

We added this fund to our fixed income lineup during the summer of 2013 after extensive due diligence and conversations with fund management. While we were confident that we made a great selection in PIMCO Income, it was great to have the decision affirmed by Morningstar in the form of this prestigious award.

Here’s an excerpt from Morningstar’s summary on why Ivascyn and Murata were selected:

“Making the most of a tough market is where funds can really help shareholders. While PIMCO won’t get all of its calls right–no one does–its concerted efforts to prevent any single bet from overwhelming performance played out for this fund in 2013. Ivascyn and Murata have also delivered on the fund’s income-oriented goals without returning capital to shareholders since its 2007 inception. That’s a tall order in today’s relatively low-yielding environment, but PIMCO’s vast tool chest and diversified approach instill confidence.”

To hear Dan Ivascyn talk about the fund’s strategy and positioning, click here.

As we’ve discussed at length over the past several months, we believe diversification and manager flexibility within the bond market will be crucial as the interest rate environment remains uncertain.  PIMCO Income has the flexibility to seek out income sources that appear most attractive in any environment, but it does so with an emphasis on risk management and liquidity. We are confident that the addition of PIMCO Income makes our bond portfolios stronger.

*Image borrowed from https://www.pimco.com/en-us/investments/mutual-funds/income-fund/inst