Mackenzie Investments today announced that investors approved the changes to two Keystone funds at special meetings held earlier today.
Keystone AIM Trimark U.S. Companies Fund will adopt a new investment mandate and change its name to Keystone Dreman U.S. Value Fund. As well, Keystone AIM Trimark Canadian Equity Fund will be merged into Keystone Bissett Canadian Equity Fund.
Keystone Dreman U.S. Value Fund will be sub-advised by Dreman Value Management, L.L.C., an investment firm with more than $7.5 billion in assets under management.
Dreman will use a contrarian value investment strategy based on a disciplined, low price to earnings approach to stock selection. Dreman will invest in common shares of mid- and large-cap U.S. companies that it considers to be undervalued and to exhibit strong fundamentals, above-market dividend yields and historic earnings growth.
“Dreman has a demonstrated track record of success as lead portfolio manager on several very successful U.S. equity funds in the United States, and as a sub-advisor to Symmetry U.S. Stock Capital Class,” said David Feather, president, Mackenzie Financial Services Inc., in a release. “We are confident they will continue to leverage their value approach to the benefit of investors.”
Keystone Bissett Canadian Equity Fund is managed in accordance with Bissett’s “Growth at a Reasonable Price” investment style, which emphasizes earnings growth, profitability, consistency, financial strength and reasonable stock valuations. The Bissett fund focuses on investing primarily in growth- oriented equity securities of Canadian companies which is similar to the investment strategy employed by the AIM Trimark Fund prior to the merger. Combining the two portfolios maintains a growth investment style and allows certain efficiencies to be realized.
The changes to these U.S. and Canadian equity funds followed an annual strategic review of all funds within the Keystone family.