News Releases

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS--(Marketwire - Jan. 24, 2013) - BMO Global Asset Management today announced that its U.S. mutual fund family has surpassed $10 billion in assets under management (AUM). The business grew by an exceptional 19.4 percent last year through December 31, 2012, making it one of the fastest growing mutual fund families, according to Strategic Insight.

"BMO Global Asset Management has reached this significant milestone by addressing and anticipating the needs of U.S. investors and developing innovative solutions to help them achieve their financial goals," said Barry McInerney, Co-CEO, BMO Global Asset Management. "Our solid and fast-growing mutual fund platform offers global capabilities to a diverse client base that includes mass affluent and high net worth individuals as well as institutions, all of whom turn to us for our worldwide reach, regional expertise and boutique-style approach. We will continue to build our mutual fund portfolio so we can help our clients meet their investment objectives, achieve enhanced return opportunities, and effectively respond to volatile market conditions."

BMO Funds provide a wide range of equity, fixed income and money market fund options across the risk/reward spectrum. The company takes a disciplined approach to uncover investment opportunities that demonstrate value, growth catalysts, income, pay dividends, and provide cash flow.

BMO Global Asset Management's award-winning mutual fund business was the 23rd fastest growing in the U.S. during this period, with a platform comprising of 24 mutual funds:

• Eight of BMO's 14 Morningstar-rated funds ranked four-star or five-star (as of 12/31/12).
• According to Lipper, of the BMO Funds that have at least a five-year track record, 65 percent are in the first quartile and 25 percent are in the second quartile (as of 12/31/12).
• BMO Intermediate Tax-Free Fund (Y shares) and BMO Small-Cap Growth Fund (Y shares) have been recognized by the Lipper Fund Awards for best risk-adjusted performance over five and 10 years, respectively (as of 11/30/11).
• BMO's strong cash flow into mutual fund complex is due to strong long-term performance.
• BMO Retirement Services has been identified as the top DC platform in the U.S. six years in a row in terms of service excellence (PLANSPONSOR^(R)).
• BMO has best-in-class institutional trust and custody services with more than 1,500 institutional clients representing more than $70 billion in assets.

In 2012, BMO launched six new funds to meet the growing demand of investors seeking non-correlated asset classes in order to diversify their portfolios, manage risk or enhance returns, including:

• BMO Short Tax-Free Fund - provides current income exempt from federal income tax consistent with the preservation of capital.
• BMO Low Volatility Equity Fund - designed to provide investors with long-term returns comparable to U.S. large cap stocks but with less volatility.
• BMO Pyrford Global Strategic Return Fund - maximizes total return by investing primarily in investment-grade sovereign debt securities and equity securities.
• BMO Pyrford International Stock Fund - seeks capital appreciation by investing its assets primarily in equity securities of companies located in a number of countries outside the U.S.
• BMO Monegy High Yield Bond Fund - maximizes total return consistent with current income by investing at least 80 per cent of its assets in a diversified portfolio of domestic and foreign high yield.
• BMO Dividend Income Fund - invests primarily in dividend paying common stocks of large-sized U.S. companies, similar in size to those within the S&P 500 Index.

In addition, Lloyd George Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of BMO Global Asset Management, recently took over sub-advising BMO's Emerging Market Equity Fund, which invests in a diversified portfolio of common stocks of foreign companies located in emerging market countries.

For more information, please visit: www.bmofundsus.com.

About BMO Family of Funds

The BMO Funds are a global family of actively managed mutual funds. The firm's 24 funds span the risk/reward spectrum and include: domestic and international equity funds, taxable and tax-free fixed income funds, emerging market equity and money market funds.

The family of funds is managed by a multi-disciplined team based in Chicago and Milwaukee, and by a network of world-class boutique managers, which are strategically located across the globe. This network includes Monegy, Inc. (Toronto), Pyrford International Ltd. (London), Lloyd George Management (Hong Kong) and Taplin, Canida & Habacht, LLC (U.S.).

Established in 1992, BMO Funds are advised by BMO Asset Management U.S. and offers Institutional (I) and Investor (Y) class shares. Along with its subsidiary boutiques and affiliates, the advisor oversees more than $50 billion in assets under management. BMO Funds is a part of BMO Financial Group, a fully diversified financial services organization with $525 billion total assets and more than 46,000 employees as of October 31, 2012.

BMO Global Asset Management is the brand name for various affiliated entities of BMO Financial Group that provide investment management, retirement plan services, and trust and custody. Certain of the products and services offered under the brand name BMO Global Asset Management are designed specifically for various categories of investors in a number of different countries and regions. Products and services are only offered to such investors in those countries and regions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. BMO Financial Group is a service mark of Bank of Montreal (BMO).

BMO Asset Management U.S. consists of BMO Asset Management Corp., Monegy and TCH.

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the BMO Funds. This and other important information is contained in the prospectuses and/or summary prospectuses, which can be obtained by calling 1-800-580-3863 or by visiting our website at bmofundsus.com. Please read carefully before investing.

An investment in money market funds is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although money market funds seek to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in these funds.

Foreign investing involves special risks due to factors such as increased volatility, currency fluctuation and political uncertainties.

Intermediate Tax-Free Fund and Short Tax-Free Fund: Interest income from the Fund's investments may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT) for individuals and corporations, and state and local taxes. Keep in mind that as interest rates rise, bond prices fall. This may have an adverse effect on the Fund's portfolio.

Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. is an independent organization that compiles performance data on investment companies.

For each fund with at least a 3-year history, Morningstar calculates a Morningstar Rating based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a fund's monthly performance (including the effects of sales charges, loads, and redemption fees), placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of funds in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. (Each share class is counted as a fraction of one fund within this scale and is rated separately, which may cause slight variations in the distribution percentages.) The Overall Morningstar Rating for a fund is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its 3-, 5- and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. Morningstar Rating is for the share class indicated; other classes may have different performance characteristics.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Lipper Fund Awards

Fund classification awards are for the share indicated, the period ending November 30, 2011 and for the time period specified. The highest Lipper Leader for consistent return within each eligible classification determines the fund classification winner over 3, 5 or 10 years. Awards received by M&I Investment Management Corp., a part of BMO Global Asset Management. The Lipper Fund Awards are part of the Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence, a global family of awards that celebrate exceptional performance throughout the professional investment community. The Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence recognize the world's top funds, fund management firms, sell-side firms, research analysts, and investor relations teams. The Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence also include the Extel Survey Awards, the IFR Awards, the PFI Awards, the StarMine Analyst Awards, and the StarMine Broker Rankings. For more information, please contact markets.awards@thomsonretuers.com or visit excellence.thomsonreuters.com.

BMO Intermediate Tax-Free Fund (Y Shares) inception date: 02/02/1994

BMO Small Cap Growth Fund (Y Shares) inception date: 11/01/1995

S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index of large-cap common stocks. An investment can not be made directly in an index.

BMO Asset Management Corp. is the investment adviser to the BMO Funds. M&I Distributors LLC is the distributor. BMO Funds are not marketed or sold outside the United States.

Investment products are: Not FDIC Insured - No Bank Guarantee - May Lose Value