Morningstar has named Dennis Lynch and the Morgan Stanley Investment Management Growth Team as the 2013 U.S. Domestic-Stock Fund Manager of the Year. According to Morningstar, the U.S. Fund Manager of the Year awards “acknowledge managers who not only delivered impressive performance in 2013, but who have also delivered excellent long-term risk-adjusted returns, and have been good stewards of fund shareholders’ capital.”
The Growth Team is led by Dennis Lynch, Head of Growth Investing at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. As part of the award, Morningstar named four of the Growth Team’s funds: Morgan Stanley Focus Growth, Morgan Stanley Growth, Morgan Stanley Mid Cap Growth and Morgan Stanley Small Company Growth. In addition, each of the funds has a Morningstar Analyst Rating™ of Gold, the highest positive qualitative fund rating Morningstar assigns.
“Congratulations to Dennis Lynch and the Growth Team on achieving this significant recognition. In honoring Dennis and his team, Morningstar has selected investment professionals who have been creating an impressive body of work over many years on behalf of our clients,” said Gregory J. Fleming, President, Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.
“We are extremely proud of Dennis Lynch and the Growth Team for winning the Morningstar U.S. Domestic-Stock Fund Manager of the Year award. Morningstar has recognized a powerful investment philosophy that emphasizes long-terminvestments in companies with inherent sustainable competitive advantages, as well as a strong team culture that creates an environment where world-class investors can stick to their convictions,” said Arthur Lev, Head of the Long-Only Business for Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has over 560 investment professionals around the world and $360 billion in assets under management or supervision as of September 30, 2013. As of December 31, 2013, the Growth Team manages over $30 billion in assets on behalf of clients. The Investment Team seeks unique, high quality companies with sustainable competitive advantages, and focuses on long-term growth rather than short-term events. They manage concentrated portfolios that are highly differentiated from their benchmarks.