MFS overhauls product range to extend European reach

MFS Investment Management has undertaken a raft of changes to its Luxembourg-domiciled fund line-up in a move the firm says will reflect investor demand.

The company said the overhaul of its funds incorporate seven new strategies, as well as a number of name changes and consolidations for existing portfolios.

Under the new line-up, MFS will have 30 funds covering equity, fixed income, multi-asset and alternative strategies.

Announcing the changes, Lina Medeiros, president of MFS International, said: ‘The changes in the MFS Meridian fund range aim to align us with the needs of our UK and European client base. They also provide greater access to MFS’s market leading global investment capability.’

Medeiros added the changes to the line-up were part of a ‘natural evolutionary step’ to offer its existing United States and Institutional offerings to its European wholesale client base.

The fund changes, which, in some cases are already in effect, are as follows:

• The Hong Kong Equity Fund is merged into the China Equity fund;
• The European Equity Fund is renamed the European Research fund;
• The Global Growth Fund and the Global Value Fund are merged, renamed and given a new strategy as the Global Concentrated fund and is under the management of David Mannheim and Michael Cantara;
• The Research International fund is rebranded the Global Research fund and given a new strategy;
• The US Large Cap Growth fund, the US Mid Cap Growth Fund and the Technology fund are merged, renamed and given a new strategy as the US Concentrated fund;
• The US Research fund is merged into the US Value fund;
• The Euro High Yield Bond fund and the US High Yield Bond fund are merged, rebranded and retargeted as the High Yield fund. The management team for the High Yield fund is David Cole and William Adams;
• The Strategic Income fund becomes the Global Multi-Asset fund and is handed a new strategy;
• The European Bond fund is renamed and given a new strategy as the Absolute Return fund, under the management of AA-rated Citywire manager James J. Calmas.

In addition, the newly created European Concentrated fund has been launched.