CHICAGO/TOKYO, July 2, 2015-Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, has acquired its remaining 29 percent ownership interest in Ibbotson Associates Japan K.K. (IAJ) from the company's management, Katsunari Yamaguchi, president, and Tadaaki Komatsubara, chief investment officer. Yamaguchi and Komatsubara will continue in their roles with the company.
Established in 2000 by Ibbotson Associates, which Morningstar acquired in 2006, IAJ is an investment and advisory services firm. Drawing on core capabilities in asset allocation, manager research, and portfolio construction, the company helps banks, securities companies, and asset management firms in Japan create portfolios and other investment solutions to meet investor needs.
"Japan is a key market for Morningstar, and the acquisition reflects the close cooperation in recent years between IAJ and Morningstar to provide leading global equity research, indexes, and other world-class investment strategies to our clients," Yamaguchi said.
About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors. Morningstar provides data on approximately 500,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 15 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries and had more than $179 billion in assets under advisement and management as of March 31, 2015. The company has operations in 27 countries.
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