Manulife Investments, a division of Toronto-based Manulife Asset Management Ltd., will be making various changes to its product lineup, including reducing management fees and trailer fees on certain mutual funds, after the close of business on Aug. 1.
Notably, the firm will be reducing management fees on certain series of 11 mutual funds, ranging from three basis points (bps) to 25 bps. In addition, the trailer fees paid for Advisor Series or Series T bought under the front-end sales option for three mutual funds will be reduced to 1% from 1.25% that same day. These reductions bring the trailer fees on these funds in line with industry rates.
Manulife Investments also announced that:
> Manulife private investment pools will be available as an option to invest into 14 pools/trusts through the Manulife Dollar-Cost Averaging Fund, subject to the usual conditions of the Manulife private investment pools.
> The risk ratings for seven mutual funds will be reduced.
> The distribution rate for Series FT or Series T of 10 mutual funds will be changed. As a result, Series FT or Series T will be renamed to reflect the new target distribution rate paid by the respective series. For example, Series T8 will become Series T6.
> Series D of Manulife U.S. Dollar Strategic Balanced Yield Fund will be closed while Series C of Manulife Money Market Fund will be capped. Only switches-in from the Manulife private investment pools will be permitted to Series C of Manulife Money Market Fund.
For more information on the specific mutual funds affected, please read Manulife Investments’ news release.