Morningstar, Inc. - MORN STOCK NEWS

Morningstar (MORN) released its 2021 Target-Date Strategy Landscape Report, revealing that target-date strategy assets reached $2.8 trillion by the end of 2020, up 20% from 2019. However, inflows into target-date funds and CITs plummeted by 59% to $52.3 billion, largely due to COVID-19 impacts. CITs gained significant market share, representing 43% of target-date assets and surpassing $1 trillion. New regulations are influencing investment strategies, while fee reductions highlight the importance of cost-effective options to investors.

Morningstar reported record U.S. mutual fund and ETF flows of $144 billion for February 2021. ETFs led with inflows of approximately $92 billion, while long-term mutual funds attracted $53 billion. Notably, inflation-protected bond funds gathered $7 billion, marking their all-time high. U.S. equities saw a surge of $38 billion, with large-blend funds leading at $22 billion. Sector equity funds particularly excelled, with $25 billion inflows, driven mainly by technology-themed funds. Vanguard led fund family inflows at around $37 billion.

The board of directors of Morningstar (MORN) declared a quarterly dividend of 31.5 cents per share, payable on April 30, 2021, to shareholders of record as of April 9, 2021. Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research, manages approximately $227 billion in assets under advisement and management as of December 31, 2020. With operations in 29 countries, the company serves individual investors, financial advisors, and institutional clients, providing data and insights across various investment products.

Morningstar, a leader in investment research, reported strong financial results for Q4 and full-year 2020 amid a challenging economic environment. Revenue surged by 14.4% to $380.4 million in Q4, with organic revenue growing 7.9%. Operating income increased significantly by 64.0% to $65.1 million. For the full year, revenue rose 17.9% to $1.4 billion. Diluted net income per share for Q4 reached $1.74, a 171.9% increase, driven partly by non-operating gains. Cash flows and free cash flow also saw substantial increases, highlighting the firm's robust financial health.

Morningstar reported that U.S. mutual funds and ETFs gathered $95 billion in January 2021. Despite this, U.S. equity funds faced substantial outflows totaling $38 billion, with $26 billion from actively managed and $12 billion from passively managed funds. Taxable-bond funds attracted $79 billion in inflows, leading the category. Intermediate core bond funds had inflows over $25 billion. Municipal-bond funds saw a record $15.9 billion inflow, driven by expected federal support. Vanguard led inflows with $38 billion overall.

Morningstar, Inc. (MORN) has launched the Morningstar® Broad Style Indexes℠, a series of 12 U.S. equity indexes that categorize the market by size and style to enhance investment analysis. This initiative aims to provide investors with better benchmarks and diversify their portfolios, complementing existing offerings like the Morningstar Style Box™. The new indexes cater to a growing market, as traditional U.S. equity strategies managed over $4 trillion by year-end 2020. The indexes will officially track funds by March 19, 2021. More information on these indexes is available here.

Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN) will announce its fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 financial results after market close on February 18, 2021. The company, a leader in independent investment research, offers diverse products and services for various investors, including individuals and institutions. As of September 30, 2020, Morningstar managed approximately $215 billion in assets. Investors can submit questions via email, as the company does not hold analyst calls.

Morningstar reported U.S. mutual fund and ETF flows for 2020, with long-term funds gathering $212 billion, significantly lower than the $356 billion average from 2010-2019. December 2020 saw inflows exceeding $86 billion, the second-largest monthly total for the year. ETFs achieved record calendar-year inflows of $502 billion, while mutual funds experienced $289 billion in outflows. Taxable-bond funds collected a record $441 billion in 2020. Vanguard led in inflows with $141 billion.

Morningstar, Inc. (MORN) has launched the Morningstar Market Monitoring platform, a web-based tool designed to provide real-time market information and insights for financial advisors, traders, and analysts. The platform integrates with existing workflows and offers customizable dashboards featuring over 40 configurable components to track diverse market elements including stocks, ETFs, and fixed income. Users will benefit from live news updates from Dow Jones, enhancing their ability to respond to market events. This innovation aims to improve decision-making and increase transparency for investors.