Northern Trust Asset Management has launched a new fund for institutional investors that encompasses quality small capitalization stocks across global developed equity markets.

The global small cap fund builds on Northern Trust Asset Management’s growing Engineered Equity strategies, with a US$37.4 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2014. The fund, launched this month with an investment by Kemper Corporation for its Master Retirement Trust, is designed to efficiently capture the premium associated with high quality small capitalization stocks while minimizing uncompensated risk factors.

“Our Engineered Equity approach provides efficient exposure to global small cap equities with a bias toward high-quality companies and factors that generate persistent performance over time,” said Matthew Peron, Managing Director, Global Equity at Northern Trust Asset Management. “We worked closely with Kemper to develop a solution that fits their performance and risk budget needs, leveraging our core capabilities, and we believe this strategy will have broad appeal.”

The global small cap fund is an extension of Northern Trust’s factor-based U.S. small cap strategies, which have a 15-year track record and US$3.4 billion in AUM as of September 30, 2014. The new collective trust fund is available to U.S. defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans and Northern Trust intends to offer the global small cap strategy to a range of investors through separate accounts and other fund structures.

For more information on Engineered Equity at Northern Trust, please see the Equity Imperative research series and related information at www.northerntrust.com/equityimperative.

Asset Management at Northern Trust comprises Northern Trust Investments, Inc., Northern Trust Global Investments Limited, Northern Trust Global Investments Japan, K.K., NT Global Advisors, Inc. and investment personnel of The Northern Trust Company of Hong Kong Limited and The Northern Trust Company.

About Kemper

Kemper (NYSE: KMPR) is a diversified insurance holding company with subsidiaries that provide an array of products to the individual and business markets:

  • Auto insurance
  • Homeowners insurance
  • Renters insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Health insurance

Kemper markets to its customers through a network of independent agents, brokers and career agents.

Additional information about Kemper is available by visiting kemper.com.

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of asset servicing, fund administration, asset management, fiduciary, and banking solutions for corporations, institutions, families, and individuals worldwide. Chicago-based Northern Trust has offices in 19 states, Washington, D.C., and 20 international locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of September 30, 2014, Northern Trust had assets under custody of US$5.9 trillion, and assets under investment management of US$923.3 billion. For 125 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader in combining exceptional service and expertise with innovative products and technology. For more information, visit www.northerntrust.com and follow us on Twitter @NorthernTrust.

Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at http://www.northerntrust.com/disclosures.