BMO Pyrford Global Absolute Return Fund Given a "Silver" Morningstar Analyst Rating(TM) (17 June 2016)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - July 24, 2016) - BMO Global Asset Management is pleased to announce that the BMO Pyrford Global Absolute Return Fund received a Morningstar Analyst Rating™ of 'Silver' (17 June 2016), its first Morningstar Analyst Rating™ after becoming available to the intermediary market in Australia 18 months ago.

The BMO Pyrford Global Absolute Return Fund was awarded the rating for the first time by Morningstar in its 2016 multi asset sector review, which recognized the Fund for its long track record of consistent performance derived from a straightforward approach to multi-asset investing.

The Fund is run by one of BMO Global Asset Management's world-class specialized managers, Pyrford International - a London-based investment team with a successful track record of more than 22 years.

The long-only Fund invests in high quality global equities, global sovereign bonds and cash. It has a two-year track record in Australia and implements the same investment philosophy as its U.K. offering, although it is managed in A$ and to an Australian CPI + 4% investment objective. Since its inception, BMO has raised over A$600 million in the Fund.

"The Morningstar Analyst Rating™ marks an important milestone in our long-term commitment to the Australian market," said Tony Cousins, CIO and CEO of Pyrford International.

"We're proud of the recognition BMO Pyrford Global Absolute Return Fund has received with this rating and the success it has achieved in providing financial advisers with a liquid and transparent vehicle to help navigate their clients through the current investment environment," said Ravi Sriskandarajah, Managing Director, BMO Global Asset Management (Asia Pacific). "Absolute-return investing doesn't necessarily have to be accessed through complex strategies. The long-only and unconstrained approach of the Fund over the long term can, and has, yielded attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors."

In July 2013, BMO Global Asset Management opened its Australian office - led by Mr. Sriskandarajah - to serve institutional investors and intermediary channels. In late 2014, the firm added former AQR Vice President Michael Angwin to the team to lead their efforts in building their intermediary channel.

Commenting on the Morningstar Analyst Rating™, Mr. Angwin said, "Feedback from this channel suggests strategies such as those that Pyrford employs will continue to grow in demand in this period of greater uncertainty, where real returns characterised by low volatility are a viable means of managing factors such as sequencing risk."