News Releases

• Recognized in categories including Canadian equity, fixed income and financial services

TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM) was recognized at the 2022 Canada Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards, with seven BMO Exchange Traded Funds (BMO ETFs) claiming top honours across seven categories.

The annual Canada Refinitiv Lipper Awards honour funds and fund management firms that have excelled in providing consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers.

"BMO GAM's recognition at the 2022 Canada Refinitiv Lipper Awards demonstrates the strength of our portfolio management teams," said Kevin Gopaul, President, ETFs, BMO Global Asset Management. "As a leading ETF provider in Canada with more than 100 strategies, we are dedicated to creating innovative solutions to help investors stay ahead of market trends and achieve their objectives."

BMO GAM funds received top honours in the following categories:

• BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (Ticker: ZEB) - Best Financial Services Equity ETF Fund over five years
• BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (Ticker: ZLB) - Best Canadian Equity ETF Fund over 10 years
• BMO Mid Provincial Bond Index ETF (Ticker: ZMP) - Best Canadian Fixed Income ETF Fund over five years
• BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (Ticker: ZGQ) - Best Global Equity ETF Fund over five years
• BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker: ZEQ) - Best European Equity ETF Fund over three years and Best European Equity ETF Fund over five years
• BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (Ticker: ZSP) - Best US Equity ETF Fund over five years
• BMO Short-Term US IG Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker: ZSU) - Best Global Corporate Fixed Income ETF Fund over three years

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

Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds. Please read the ETF Facts or prospectus of the BMO ETFs 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 BMO ETF's 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.

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

BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.

®/™Registered trademarks/trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.

BMO Exchange Traded Funds has been a leading ETF provider in Canada for more than 11 years, with over 100 strategies, over 25 per cent market share in Canada1, and $80.6 billion in assets under management. BMO ETFs are designed to stay ahead of market trends and provide compelling solutions to help advisors and investors. This includes a comprehensive suite of ETFs developed in Canada for Canadians, such as cost effective core equity ETFs following market leading indexes, and a broad range of fixed income ETFs; solution-based ETFs responding to client demand; and innovation with smart beta ETFs, as well as combining active and passive investing with ETF series of active mutual funds.

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 $971 billion as of July 31, 2021, 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.

The Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards, granted annually, highlight funds and fund companies that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, 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 wins the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award. For more information, see www.lipperfundawards.com. Although Refinitiv Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Refinitiv 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. Lipper Leader ratings are subject to change every month.

BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (Ticker: ZEB) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the Financial Services Equity ETF Funds category for five years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 11 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -5.78% (1 year), 9.51% (3 years), 7.28% (5 years) and 10.77% (10 years). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), 2 (10 years).

BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (Ticker: ZLB) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Equity ETF Funds category for ten years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 17 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: 0.64% (1 year), 7.34% (3 years), 7.53% (5 years) and 11.44% (10 years). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 2 (3 years), 4 (5 years), 5 (10 years).

BMO Mid Provincial Bond Index ETF (Ticker: ZMP) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Fixed Income ETF Funds category for five years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 17 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -8.72% (1 year), -1.90% (3 years), 0.38% (5 years) and 1.72% (Since Inception; March 19, 2013). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (Ticker: ZGQ) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the Global Equity ETF Funds category for five years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 19 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -17.34% (1 year), 7.45% (3 years), 8.79% (5 years) and 11.02% (Since Inception; November 5, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 4 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker: ZEQ) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the European Equity ETF Funds category for three years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 13 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -12.77% (1 year), 5.54% (3 years), 6.63% (5 years) and 8.55% (Since Inception; February 10, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker: ZEQ) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the European Equity ETF Funds category for five years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 10 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -12.77% (1 year), 5.54% (3 years), 6.63% (5 years) and 8.55% (Since Inception; February 10, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (Ticker: ZSP) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the US Equity ETF Funds category for five years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 39 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -6.28% (1 year), 11.12% (3 years), 11.26% (5 years) and 16.33% (Since Inception; November 14, 2012). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO Short-Term US IG Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker: ZSU) was awarded the 2022 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award in the Global Corporate Fixed Income ETF Funds category for three years ending on July 31, 2022, out of a classification total of 10 funds. Performance for the fund for the period ended October 31, 2022: -8.32% (1 year), -1.57% (3 years), -0.01% (5 years) and 0.76% (Since Inception; February 10, 2014). The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the period ending October 31, 2022, are as follows: 3 (3 years), 3 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

SOURCE BMO Financial Group