America's Biggest Money Managers Assets under management at the II 300, Institutional Investor's annual ranking of America's 300 biggest money managers, surged 16.9 percent last year, to $31.1 trillion. Last year's growth rate was nearly double that of the 2005 rate.
San Francisco-based Barclays Global Investors, with $1.81 trillion, tops the II 300 for a third year in a row. Boston's State Street Global Advisors returns in second place, with $1.74 trillion under management. State Street gained more money - $307.2 billion than any other firm in the ranking except New York-based BlackRock, which zooms from 16th to fifth place thanks in part to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers last September.
Choosing America's Biggest Money Managers
The II 300 ranks America's largest money managers by assets under management. In conformity with the traditional view of the money management business, assets are defined as discretionary assets under management for the account of customers for which an organization has contractual authority to make buy and sell decisions. We ask firms to report assets under management for their entire organization--including subsidiaries. The ranking includes insurance companies, banks, investment management firms, internally managed pension funds, mutual fund companies and hedge funds. Domestic and non-U.S. equities include convertibles. ADR's are included in non-U.S. equities. Domestic and non-U.S. fixed income include preferred stock and mortgage-backed securities. Real estate includes debt and equity. Alternative investments may include derivatives, venture capital, oil & gas, timberland, and hedge fund investments. Tax-exempt assets represent assets from tax-exempt sources, such as pension funds, foundations and endowments.