BlackRock Tops II300 Roster for a Seventh Year Running
Total assets under management overseen by firms in the II300, Institutional Investor’s annual ranking of the U.S.’s top money managers, were little changed in 2015, rising just 0.39 percent year over year, to $45.3 trillion.
New York–based BlackRock extends its winning streak to a seventh year even though its AUM declines by about $7 billion, to $4.6 trillion. Vanguard Group of Malvern, Pennsylvania, holds steady in second place, with $2.9 trillion, and is the year’s biggest gainer, having grown its asset base by more than $187 billion, or roughly 6.9 percent.
State Street Global Advisors retains the No. 3 spot on the roster even though its AUM total declines by some $203 billion, to $2.2 trillion. Among other issues, the Boston-based firm has been hit by redemptions from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds pulling money to support their economies after the price of oil fell last year.
SSGA’s crosstown rival, Fidelity Investments, repeats in fourth place, with $2.0 trillion — a gain of some $10 billion — followed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management of New York, with $1.7 trillion — down nearly $22 billion.
To view the complete ranking, click on America’s Top 300 Money Managers in the navigation table at right. Subscribers can access additional data, including details on the firms’ portfolio mixes, a roster of the Biggest Dollar Gainers and Losers, the nation’s Largest Tax-Exempt Asset Managers and more. (Please note: A firm must have appeared in this ranking for at least two years to be eligible for inclusion in the Biggest Dollar Gainers and Losers table.)
For information on how this ranking was compiled, click on Methodology.
How This Ranking Was Compiled
The II300 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 accounts of customers for which an organization has contractual authority to make buy and sell decisions.
Institutional Investor asks firms to report assets under management for their entire organizations — including subsidiaries. The ranking contains banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, internally managed pension funds, investment management firms and mutual fund firms. Domestic and non-U.S. equities include convertibles. American depositary receipts are counted among non-U.S. equities. Domestic and non-U.S. fixed income encompasses preferred stock and mortgage-backed securities. Real estate covers debt and equity. Alternative investments may include derivatives, hedge fund assets, oil and gas, timberland and venture capital. Tax-exempt holdings represent assets from tax-exempt sources, such as endowments, foundations and pension funds.
All figures are through December 31 of the given year unless indicated otherwise.
Please note: A firm must have appeared in this ranking for at least two years to be eligible for inclusion in the Biggest Dollar Gainers and Losers table.
The ranking was compiled by Researcher Valentina McKenzie, under the supervision of Senior Research Editor Jane B. Kenney.