RBC Global Asset Management Inc. today announced management-fee cuts for three balanced funds with combined assets of roughly $7.8 billion. The reductions are 15 basis points for each of three retail series of RBC Balanced, RBC Global Balanced and RBC Jantzi Balanced.
Effective Jan. 1, the fee reductions will bring the management fees for each of the three funds to 1.85% for Series A, whose main distribution channel is bank branches; 1.10% for Series D for discount-brokerage clients and clients of bank-owned fund dealer PH&N Investment Services; and 0.85% for Series F for fee-based advisory accounts.
By far the largest fund affected is the $6.95-billion RBC Balanced, which has been a mostly poor performer in the Canadian Neutral Balanced category. Though it had a second-quartile return over the past 12 months ended Nov. 30, it has lagged its peer group over the three-, five- and 10-year periods and has a 2-star Morningstar Rating for its historical risk-adjusted returns.
The other two funds could also use a fee reduction to help improve their rankings and ratings. The $777-million RBC Global Balanced and the $72-million RBC Jantzi Balanced, which are in the Global Neutral Balanced and Global Equity Balanced categories respectively, can both be fairly described as mostly average to below-average performers in their peer groups. Both have 3-star Morningstar Ratings.