CHICAGO, Aug. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, has published a summary of Morningstar Analyst Rating(TM) activity for 63 U.S. funds that occurred in July 2016. The Morningstar Analyst Rating for funds represents Morningstar's conviction in the fund's ability to outperform on a risk-adjusted basis over the long term. The five-tiered, qualitative Morningstar Analyst Rating scale has three positive levels, indicating Morningstar Medalists--Gold, Silver, and Bronze--in addition to Neutral and Negative ratings.

In July, Morningstar manager research analysts downgraded ratings for six funds. In addition, analysts affirmed ratings for 45 funds, assigned 11 new fund ratings, and placed one fund under review.

As of July 31, 2016, Morningstar analysts had assigned a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Gold to 121 unique U.S. funds, a Silver rating to 238 funds, a Bronze rating to 405 funds, a Neutral rating to 280 funds, and a Negative rating to eight funds. Morningstar Medalists currently account for approximately 9 percent of unique mutual funds available for sale in the United States and 59 percent of assets under management. Morningstar's manager research analysts rate more than $9 trillion of U.S. investor assets, or approximately 66 percent of total investor assets in the United States.

The following Morningstar Analyst Rating changes occurred in July 2016:



                                  Previous Morningstar Current Morningstar

                                  Analyst Rating       Analyst Rating
                                  --------------       --------------

    Downgrades
    ----------

    BlackRock Latin America       Bronze               Neutral
    -----------------------       ------               -------

    Hartford Capital Appreciation Bronze               Neutral
    ----------------------------- ------               -------

    Metropolitan West High Yield
     Bond                         Bronze               Neutral
    ----------------------------  ------               -------

    Metropolitan West Low
     Duration Bond                Bronze               Neutral
    ---------------------         ------               -------

    MFS Global Equity             Gold                 Silver
    -----------------             ----                 ------

    TFS Market Neutral            Silver               Bronze
    ------------------            ------               ------


    New Ratings
    -----------

    Ave Maria Rising Dividend     None                 Bronze
    -------------------------     ----                 ------

    DoubleLine Total Return Bond* Not Ratable          Neutral
    ----------------------------  -----------          -------

    Dreyfus Core Equity           None                 Neutral
    -------------------           ----                 -------

    Eaton Vance National
     Municipal Income             None                 Neutral
    --------------------          ----                 -------

    Hartford Equity Income        None                 Bronze
    ----------------------        ----                 ------

    Lazard International Equity   None                 Bronze
    ---------------------------   ----                 ------

    Matthews India                None                 Bronze
    --------------                ----                 ------

    Oppenheimer Global
     Opportunities                None                 Neutral
    ------------------            ----                 -------

    Oppenheimer International
     Small-Mid Co                 None                 Neutral
    -------------------------     ----                 -------

    Poplar Forest Partners        None                 Neutral
    ----------------------        ----                 -------

    Smead Value Investor          None                 Neutral
    --------------------          ----                 -------


    Under Review
    ------------

    PIMCO EqS Long/Short          Neutral              Under Review
    --------------------          -------              ------------


    *The fund previously had a Not
     Ratable designation.

A list of the Analyst Ratings for 45 U.S. funds that Morningstar affirmed in July is available here.

A summary of last month's Morningstar Analyst Rating changes for U.S. mutual funds is available on Morningstar.com in the latest Fund Spy: Medalist Edition here.

Morningstar launched its Analyst Rating for funds and Global Fund Reports in November 2011. Morningstar Medalists--Gold-, Silver-, and Bronze-rated funds--are funds that analysts determine are likely to outperform their peer groups and/or relevant benchmarks on a risk-adjusted basis over a market cycle of at least five years. The differences between the positive ratings indicate the level of the analyst's conviction in a fund's future performance. Analysts arrive at a rating through an evaluation of five key pillars: People, Process, Parent, Performance, and Price. The Analyst Rating methodology is available here.

To view a complete list and supporting analysis for Analyst Ratings for U.S. funds, please visit www.morningstar.com. Premium Members have access to a Morningstar Medalists screener, where users can sort funds by Morningstar Rating, Morningstar Analyst Rating, Fund Family, Manager Tenure, Expense Ratio, and other metrics. Morningstar's Global Fund Reports, in-depth research reports that include a wealth of data and analysis, are available in Morningstar Direct(SM), the company's web-based global investment analysis platform for institutional investors, and in Morningstar Office(SM), a global practice and portfolio management solution for advisors.

Morningstar has approximately 115 manager research analysts worldwide who cover approximately 4,000 funds. The company provides data on approximately 205,600 open-end mutual funds, 10,300 closed-end funds, and 13,900 exchange-traded product listings as of June 30, 2016.

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 530,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on nearly 18 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, with more than $185 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2016. The company has operations in 27 countries.

Analyst Ratings are subjective in nature and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. Analyst Ratings are based on Morningstar analysts' current expectations about future events and therefore involve unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Morningstar's expectations not to occur or to differ significantly from what was expected. Morningstar does not represent its Analyst Ratings to be guarantees nor should they be viewed as an assessment of a fund's or the fund's underlying securities' creditworthiness. This press release is for informational purposes only; it should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the mutual funds noted within.

©2016 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

MORN-R

Media Contact:
Mary Kenefake, +1 312-348-3089 or mary.kenefake@morningstar.com

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SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.