News Releases

• A total of seven mutual funds and ETFs were recognized

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM) was recognized at the 2019 Canada Lipper Fund Awards from Refinitiv with three BMO Mutual Funds and four BMO Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) receiving top honours in nine categories.

The Lipper Fund Awards from Refinitiv recognize the top risk-adjusted performing funds relative to peers and also recognize fund families with high average scores for all funds overall or within a particular asset class.

BMO GAM received top honours for the following categories:

• BMO Dividend Class Series A – Best Mutual Fund in the Canadian Dividend & Income Equity Space over three years
• BMO Canadian Stock Selection Fund Series NBA – Best Mutual Fund in the Canadian Equity Space over three years
• BMO Global Energy Class Series A – Best Mutual Fund in the Energy Equity Space over three years
• BMO Global Energy Class Series A – Best Mutual Fund in the Energy Equity Space over five years
• BMO Global Energy Class Series A – Best Mutual Fund in the Energy Equity Space over ten years
• BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ticker ZLB) – Best ETF in the Canadian Equity Space over five years
• BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF (ticker ZBK) – Best ETF in the Financial Services Equity Space over three years
• BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (ticker ZGQ) – Best ETF in the Global Equity Space over three years
• BMO MSCI EAFE Index ETF (ticker ZEA) – Best ETF in the International Equity Space over three years

"We're proud to continue to be a leader in the Canadian mutual fund and ETF industries," said Kevin Gopaul, Global Head of ETFs, BMO Global Asset Management. "The Lipper Fund Awards is recognition of the hard work and success of our teams across multiple sectors. Striving for excellence is at the heart of what we do as a company and we're confident we will continue to make waves in the industry."

For more information please visit: www.bmo.com/gam/ca

^®/™Registered trade-marks/trade-mark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.

BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name that comprises BMO Asset Management Inc., BMO Investments Inc., BMO Asset Management Corp., BMO Asset Management Limited and BMO's specialized investment management firms.

BMO Mutual Funds are managed by BMO Investments Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.

Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in mutual funds. Trailing commissions may be associated with investments in certain series of securities of mutual funds.  Please read the fund facts or simplified prospectus of the relevant mutual fund before investing.  Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.  For a summary of the risks of an investment in BMO Mutual Funds, please see the specific risks set out in the simplified prospectus.

BMO ETFs are managed and administered by BMO Asset Management Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a portfolio manager and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.

Commissions, management fees and expenses (if any) all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds. Please read the ETF facts or prospectus before investing. Exchange traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO ETFs, please see the specific risks set out in the prospectus.  BMO ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.

About BMO Financial Group
Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $839 billion as of July 31, 2019, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

About the Lipper Fund Awards from Refinitiv
For more than 30 years and in over 20 countries worldwide, the highly-respected Lipper Fund Awards from Refinitiv have honoured funds and fund management firms that have excelled in providing consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers and focuses the investment world on top-funds. The merit of the winners is based on entirely quantitative criteria. This coupled with the unmatched depth of fund data, results in a unique level of prestige and ensures the award has lasting value. Renowned fund data and proprietary methodology is the foundation of this prestigious award qualification, recognizing excellence in fund management. Find out more at www.lipperfundawards.com.

The Lipper Fund Awards from Refinitiv, granted annually, highlight funds that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Ratings for Consistent Return, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 months. The fund with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value in each eligible classification per award universe wins the Lipper Fund Award. For more information, see www.lipperfundawards.com. Although Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Lipper. The highest 20% of funds in each category are named Lipper Leaders for Consistent Return and receive a score of 5, the next 20% receive a score of 4, the middle 20% are scored 3, the next 20% are scored 2 and the lowest 20% are scored 1.

BMO Dividend Class Series A was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Dividend & Income Equity category for the three year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 65 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 15.1% (1 year), 9.1% (3 years), 7.2% (5 years), 8.5% (10 years) and 6.8% (since inception on October 12, 2004.)The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), 4 (10 years).

BMO Canadian Stock Selection Fund Series NBA was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Equity category for the three year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 80 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 13.2% (1 year), 8.0% (3 years), 6.1% (5 years), 7.3% (10 years) and 6.4% (since inception on January 22, 1997).The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years), 4 (5 years), 3 (10 years).

BMO Global Energy Class Series A was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Energy Equity category for the three, five and ten year periods ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 16 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is -16.8 % (1 year), -3.4% (3 years), -4.3% (5 years), 4.0% (10 years) and 6.0% (since inception on November 17, 2008). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), 5 (10 years).

BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ticker ZLB) was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Equity category for the five year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 20 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 20.4 % (1 year), 9.0% (3 years), 9.9% (5 years), and 13.4% (since inception on October 21, 2011). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years).

BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF (ticker ZBK) was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Financial Services Equity category for the three year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 12 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 6.3% (1 year), 13.7% (3 years), 12.8% (5 years), and 12.6% (since inception on February 10, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years).

BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (ticker ZGQ) was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the Global Equity category for the three year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 16 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 17.2% (1 year), 13.7% (3 years), and 13.2% (since inception on November 12, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years).

BMO MSCI EAFE Index ETF (ticker ZEA) was awarded the 2019 Lipper Fund Award in the International Equity category for the three year period ending July 31, 2019 out of a total of 15 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2019 is 11.4% (1 year), 7.8% (3 years), 7.4% (5 years), and 6.9% (since inception on February 10, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 4 (3 years), 4 (5 years).

The BMO ETFs or securities referred to herein are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by MSCI, and MSCI bears no liability with respect to any such ETFs or securities or any index on which such ETFs or securities are based. The prospectus of the BMO ETFs contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with BMO Asset Management Inc. and any related BMO ETFs.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group