CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced the agenda for the Morningstar Institutional Conference taking place on March 9-10 at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, TX. The conference is Morningstar's premier event for institutional investors, wealth managers, and due diligence firms featuring thought leaders from academic institutions, the financial services industry, and Morningstar.

"When navigating the ever-uncertain investment environment and economic landscape, it is important to understand the tenets of successful investing. Practitioners require an appreciation of the drivers of capital markets, the role of in-depth research, and the importance of behavioral science," Daniel Needham, president and chief investment officer of Morningstar's Investment Management group, said. "With any regulatory change, ensuring advisors and clients are armed with the best tools, techniques, and strategies to improve investor outcomes is paramount. At our upcoming conference, we will bring some of the industry's most relevant thought leaders to the table to discuss value investing, investor behavior, multiasset portfolio construction, and other pertinent topics."

Conference general session speakers include:


    --  Dan Ariely, James B. Duke professor of psychology and behavioral
        economics, Duke University, will discuss how the principles of
        behavioral economics can help investors understand the irrationalities
        that influence everyday investing behavior.
    --  Daniel Needham, president and chief investment officer, Morningstar
        Investment Management, will explore the downsides of risk management
        from a valuation perspective.
    --  Meir Statman, professor of finance, Santa Clara University, will discuss
        finance for typical individuals.
    --  Marcia Wagner, principal, The Wagner Law Group, will review the
        requirements for qualifying under the new Best Interest Contract
        Exemption and practical implications of the Department of Labor's
        fiduciary rule.
    --  Steve Wendel, Ph.D., head of behavioral sciences, Morningstar, Inc.,
        will outline the behavioral challenges inherent in popular risk
        tolerance questionnaires and offer practical tips for helping investors
        manage risk and volatility.

Thought leaders from across Morningstar will present new research during a series of breakout sessions that explore retirement from a global perspective, income-oriented investors' needs and preferences, the future of default investing, and women fund managers, among others.

For more information or to register for the conference, please visit http://corporate1.morningstar.com/Morningstar-Institutional-Conference/ or call +1 866 839-9729. Attendees may earn continuing education credits from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Live updates from the conference will be available on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MorningstarInc or through the conference hashtag, #MICTX.

Full-time members of the news media may attend the conference at no cost, but must register in advance by contacting Nadine Youssef at +1 312-696-6601 or nadine.youssef@morningstar.com.

About Morningstar, Inc. and Morningstar's Investment Management Group
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 nearly 540,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on approximately 18.5 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. The company has operations in 27 countries.

Morningstar's Investment Management group, through its investment advisory subsidiaries, creates custom investment solutions that combine award-winning research and global resources with proprietary Morningstar data. With more than $200 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Sept. 30, 2016, the Investment Management group provides comprehensive retirement, investment advisory, and portfolio management services for financial institutions, plan sponsors, and financial advisors around the world.

©2017 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MORN-C

Media Contact:
Nadine Youssef, +1 312 696-6601 or nadine.youssef@morningstar.com

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SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.