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BMO Funds

Wanted to ask if anyone owns them and has anything to say about them. Seems like a decent fund family to me given their A shares are available NTF and expenses don't look outrageous. I'm particularly interested in the following funds.

BGAQX BAEGX BLVAX BMATX

Comments

  • I own BLVAX (load waived through Fidelity). So far it has performed as expected. I replaced FPACX with BLVAX and AUEIX and I haven't been disappointed.
  • I wish there was more info available on BMO. It seems to have units around the world.
    I've decided against BMATX for now. Looking to split the remaining 3 across each portfolio @ Fido, Vanguard and Schwab. Hoping more folks will come forward and provide some insight into this company.
  • I own BLVAX. I bought it because I wanted a low volatility fund that was actively managed, rather than a passive low volatility ETF index, as I thought it was possible low volatility stocks as a whole could be getting expensive. BLVAX pays attention to valuation, so it might not go down as much if low volatility stocks are sold off after the prices have been bid up the last few years.

    It looks like BMO has a couple different websites with little information about their US based mutual funds. You may have come across this, but in case you did not, here is a link to their BLVAX page where you can get the fact sheet and quarterly commentaries, as well as links to their other funds.
    https://www.bmo.com/gam/funds/g/us/equity/bmo-low-volatility-equity-fund
  • Thanks. I'm trying to find manager interviews. It can tell a lot about the manager especially if there is video.
  • @MFO Members: A little history on BMO, and it's Chicago connection.
    Regards,
    Ted
    https://www.bmo.com/home/about/banking/corporate-information/history
  • Thanks. I'm trying to find manager interviews. It can tell a lot about the manager especially if there is video.

    If you look about half way down the page of the link I provided there is an infomercial type video with the fund managers explaining the merits of their low volatility strategy. There are also some white papers in the same section.

  • Thanks all. I'm looking risk before return offsets to current holdings in my portfolios. So this is useful fodder for me to evaluate. Still hoping someone interviewed them. Different when answering questions assuming not scripted vs marketing video.
  • I am a fan of the BMO Pyrford International Equity Fund. (Y MISYX, A BPIAX available at most discount brokers) Tony Cousins has been running the strategy for a long time, and the team is very disciplined in applying top-down (to avoid weak regions) and bottom-up (avoiding "stretched balance sheets" as they say). They aren't shy about avoiding high-risk stocks/countries even if they are a big part of the benchmark.

    Long term beta in the range of 75-80 ish.

    Video link on the page, also management commentary.
    http://www.bmo.com/gam/funds/g/us/international/bmo-pyrford-international-stock-fund

    Disclosure: Long MISYX. No other relationship with BMO or Pyrford.
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