THE POWER OF GROWTH®
NEWS
2012 News
Lipper MarketPlace Best Money Managers, December 31, 2012
"Best Money Managers"
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked as a Top Performer by Lipper, as announced in the December 31, 2012 edition of Lipper MarketPlace's BestMoney Managers.
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 32nd out of 328 products in the U.S. Growth Equity category and 16th out of 80 products in the U.S. Small-cap Growth Equity category for the 12 quarters ending December 31, 2012.
Criteria to be ranked include that the product's performance must be calculated in U.S. dollars, "net" of all fees and brokerage commissions, inclusive of all cash reserves, on an asset base which is at least $10 million in size, and that the classification of the product fall into one of the categories which they rank.
PSN Top Guns Performers,December 31, 2012
"Stephens Mid Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 5 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Growth Universe"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 5 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending December 31, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods ending December 31, 2012. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest three-year period become the TOP GUNS.
Financial Advisor, October 24, 2012
“Fund Manager Finds Common Ground As A Competitive Bike Racer"
Financial Advisor interviewed Ryan Crane, Senior Portfolio Manager for Stephens Investment Management Group about the parallels of being an accomplished track cyclist and manager for the Stephens Small Cap Growth and Stephens Mid Cap Growth Strategies. Mr. Crane how there is meritocracy in both biking and mutual fund managing. Whoever rode the fastest in a race wins, and performance numbers of a fund defines who among managers are winning. He discusses how discipline comes in when it's raining and 40 degrees outside and you don't want to train for a race. You force yourself to get on the bike. As a mutual fund manager, he encounter similar challenges with the markets, volatility and the emotions of investing but sticks with the investment process because it works overtime.
PSN Top Guns Performers,September 30, 2012
"Stephens Mid Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 5 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Universe and 5 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Growth Universe"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 5 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending September 30, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods ending September 30, 2012. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest three-year period become the TOP GUNS.
Barron's – Online, July 7, 2012
“Tumbling One by One by…"
Barron's - Online interviewed Ryan Crane, Senior Portfolio Manager for Stephens Investment Management Group about performance in the second quarter of 2012. The $129 million American Beacon Stephens Small-Cap Growth Fund (SPWAX) gained 14.99% in the first half, with its flat second quarter a sterling performance relative to its peers.
Lipper MarketPlace Best Money Managers, June 30, 2012
"Best Money Managers"
The Stephens Small Cap Growth and SMID Cap Core Growth Strategies were ranked as Top Performers by Lipper, as announced in the June 30, 2012 edition of Lipper MarketPlace's Best Money Managers.
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 24th out of 391 products in the U.S. Small-cap Equity category and 11th out of 137 products in the U.S. Small-cap Growth Equity category for the 20 quarters ending June 30, 2012.
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 17th out of 166 products in the U.S. Small-cap Growth Equity category for the four quarters ending June 30, 2012.
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 9th out of 524 products in the U.S. Small-cap Equity category, 4th out of 174 products in the U.S. Small-cap Growth Equity category and 17th out of 695 products in the U.S. Growth Equity category for the one quarter ending June 30, 2012.
The Stephens SMID Cap Core Growth Strategy was ranked 6th out of 32 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Growth Equity category and 10th out of 74 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Equity category for the 20 quarters ending June 30, 2012.
The Stephens SMID Cap Core Growth Strategy was ranked 4th out of 85 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Equity category and 4th out of 35 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Growth Equity category for the four quarters ending June 30, 2012.
The Stephens SMID Cap Core Growth Strategy was ranked 13th out of 695 products in the U.S. Growth Equity category, 4th out of 89 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Equity category and 2nd out of 35 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Growth Equity category for the one quarter ending June 30, 2012.
Criteria to be ranked include that the product's performance must be calculated in U.S. dollars, “net" of all fees and brokerage commissions, inclusive of all cash reserves, on an asset base which is at least $10 million in size, and that the classification of the product fall into one of the categories which they rank.
PSN Top Guns Performers, June 30, 2012
"Stephens Small Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 1, 5 & 6 STAR TOP GUN in the Small Cap Growth Universe"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 1 STAR category top performers are strictly based on quarterly returns. 5 STARcategory products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending June 30, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods ending June 30, 2012. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest three-year period become the TOP GUNS. 6 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending June 30, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods ending June 30, 2012. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten information ratios for the latest five-year period become the TOP GUNS.
PSN Top Guns Performers, June 30, 2012
"Stephens SMID Cap Core Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 1 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Universe, 1 & 2 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Growth Universe"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 1 STAR category top performers are strictly based on quarterly returns. 2 STARcategory top performers are strictly based on returns for one year period ending June 30, 2012.
PSN Top Guns Performers, June 30, 2012
"Stephens Mid Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 5 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Universe, 5 STAR TOP GUN in the Mid Cap Growth Universe, BULL & BEAR MASTERS in the Mid Cap Growth Universe"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 5 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending June 30, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest three-year period become the TOP GUNS. Bull & Bear Masters category was must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for the recent three year period ending June 30, 2012. Moreover, products must have an Upside Market Capture ratio of 100 or more for the latest three year period, and Downside Market Capture ratio of 100 or less for the latest three year period. The top ten Ratios between Upside Market Capture Ratio and Downside Capture Ratio became the PSN Bull & Bear Masters products.
Dow Jones Newswires, June 11, 2012
“TIP SHEET: American Beacon Stephens Fund Eyes Investor Foibles, Overlooked Catalysts"
Dow Jones interviewed Ryan Crane, Senior Portfolio Manager for Stephens Investment Management Group about the American Beacon Stephens Small Cap Growth Fund (SPWAX). Mr. Crane discusses how the investment team looks for overlooked catalyst that are poised to drive price higher as well as stocks that have a more predictable pattern of core growth. The fund tries to exploit a couple biases investors consistently show, including overconfidence. The other bias, "anchoring," refers to the way investors can be unduly influenced by initial data points.
Lipper MarketPlace, March 31, 2012
"Best Money Managers"
The Stephens Small Cap Growth and SMID Cap Growth Strategies were ranked as Top Performers by Lipper, as announced in the March 31, 2012 edition ofLipper MarketPlace's Best Money Managers.
The Stephens Small Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 19th out of 161 products in the U.S. Small-cap Growth Equity category for the four quarters ending March 31, 2012.
The Stephens SMID Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 13th out of 82 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Equity category and 9th out of 36 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Growth Equity category for the four quarters ending March 31, 2012.
The Stephens SMID Cap Growth Strategy was ranked 16th out of 67 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Equity category and 10th out of 31 products in the U.S. SMID-cap Growth Equity category for the twenty quarters ending March 31, 2012.
Criteria to be ranked include that the product's performance must be calculated in U.S. dollars, “net" of all fees and brokerage commissions, inclusive of all cash reserves, on an asset base which is at least $10 million in size, and that the classification of the product fall into one of the categories which they rank.
PSN Top Guns Performers, March 31, 2012
"Stephens Mid Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 5 STAR TOP GUN"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 5 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for a five year period ending December 31, 2011. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest three-year period become the TOP GUNS.
PSN Top Guns Performers, March 31, 2012
"Stephens Small Cap Growth Separate Account Strategy Named 6 STAR TOP GUN"
The PSN universes were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and use only gross of fee returns. Mutual fund and commingled fund products are not included in the universe. 6 STAR category products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for the five year period ending March 31, 2012. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. After that, PSN selects only the products which standard deviation for the five year period is equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten performers for the latest five-year period become the TOP GUNS.
Emerging Manager Monthly, February 2012 Edition
"6th Annual Emerging Manager Awards"
Emerging Manager Monthly, in association with eVestment Alliance, announced that the Stephens Mid Cap Growth Strategy was selected as a finalist among the nominees in the mid-cap category for the 6th Annual Emerging Manager Awards. Nominees in seven categories (large-cap equity, small-cap equity, small- to mid-cap equity, mid-cap equity, all-cap equity, international equity and cored fixed-income) were ranked based on the following criterion: excess returns over benchmark, performance versus peers, product asset growth, product asset percentage growth and standard deviation. Overall, over 339 products were considered. To be eligible for the awards, managers must have submitted year-end 2011 data to eVestment Alliance by January 21, 2012, have less than $2 billion in assets under management and have full-year 2011 performance figures.