Office address: 333 S. Hope Street, 53rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Website: capitalgroup.com
Year established: 1931 Company type: financial services
Employees: N/A Expertise: mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, equity management, fixed income management, retirement planning, 529 college savings plans, variable annuities, portfolio construction, target-date funds, risk management solutions
Parent company: Capital Group
Key people: Mike Gitlin (CEO), Martin Romo (chief investment officer), Jody Jonsson (vice chair), Canise Arredondo (CFO), Rob Klausner (COO), Greg Miliotes and Noriko Honda Chen (portfolio managers)
Financing status: privately held corporation
American Funds operates in Los Angeles as Capital Group's mutual fund division. The firm offers mutual funds, ETFs, target date funds, 529 college savings plans, and variable annuities. Products are also available through financial advisors and major brokerage platforms.
American Funds began as the mutual fund division under Capital Group's umbrella structure. Jonathan Bell Lovelace founded Capital Group in Los Angeles during the Great Depression in 1931.
The parent organization opened a New York office in 1943 but relocated headquarters back to Los Angeles. It also introduced the Capital System in 1958 as a fresh portfolio management approach.
American Funds expanded internationally starting in 1962 to reach major financial centers globally. Service centers specifically for American Funds shareholders operated in California starting in 1983.
American Funds' Growth Fund of America, launched in 1973, became a flagship offering. The division also entered the ETF market in 2022 with actively managed fund products.
In 2023, the division launched 12 model portfolios combining active mutual funds with passive ETFs from Schwab, Vanguard, and BlackRock. This move showed the firm's commitment to modernizing offerings for financial advisors and investors. The new portfolios became available through Fidelity, Envestnet, and Orion platforms shortly after.
American Funds offers investment products managed through in-house research and multi-manager accountability. The division serves individual and institutional investors with long-term focused strategies:
The firm's range of products spans multiple asset classes and investor goals across life stages. The division's in-house research and multi-manager approach ensures consistent quality across all offerings.
As a division of Capital Group, American Funds operates within the parent organization's values and culture. The parent company aims to foster a collaborative workplace where diverse perspectives drive better investment outcomes.
Diversity and inclusion remain central to American Funds' operations. Since Capital Group prioritizes diverse perspectives and inclusive teams, the firm also works to increase women and underrepresented minorities in leadership positions.
American Funds also integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into its investment approach. The organization remains committed to promoting sustainability and expanding access to financial services globally.
Mike Gitlin serves as president and CEO of Capital Group, American Funds' parent organization. Gitlin joined Capital Group after leading fixed income operations at T. Rowe Price. He holds a degree from Colgate University and has over 31 years of investment experience.
Key people are made up of leaders from the management committee:
The leadership team from Capital Group provides strategic oversight across global operations, including American Funds. Most committee members bring deep expertise from lengthy careers within the organization.
American Funds' parent organization Capital Group expanded its RecordkeeperDirect retirement plan platform to serve small and mid-sized businesses. American Funds integration into the platform allows advisors to offer clients more investment flexibility options. The updates position the division to capture growing retirement plan opportunities as advisors embrace customizable solutions for business owners.
The division is also a key mutual fund provider for advisors using direct-to-fund business models with firms like LPL Financial. In 2025, a new five basis point fee that LPL introduced will increase costs for advisors holding American Funds directly. This fee may push advisors toward advisory platforms, potentially affecting American Funds' access to LPL's large advisor network.
In a recent interview, American Funds Distributor's president Kevin Clifford reportedly blamed the recent fund outflows at American on pollyanna-ish sales pitches at the retail level. Not surprisingly, those working at the retail level -- namely, advisers -- did not take kindly to the suggestion.
Morningstar Inc. has updated its quarterly ranking of large target date fund groups, raising its rating on TIAA-CREF and MassMutual Retirement Services, while lowering its rating on Fidelity Investments
Some large mutual fund companies including Fidelity Investments and J.P. Morgan Asset Management might have to shell out more money to stay on The Charles Schwab Corp.'s transaction fee platform
Brokerage plans to charge fund firms by assets on its platform -- not accounts.
AllianceBernstein, OppenheimerFunds occupy bottom rung in latest ratings; Fidelity slips.
T. Rowe Price Group Inc., The Vanguard Group and American Funds are among the managers of the top Section 529 college savings plans, according to Morningstar's new 529 ratings, which it released today.
Offerings from American Funds, Fidelity Investments and The Vanguard Group Inc. had the biggest net outflows last year, according to Morningstar Inc.
F. William McNabb II is nervous. His firm, The Vanguard Group Inc., has been on a run lately
The American Funds Growth Fund of America (AGTHX), Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC's Total Return Fund (PTTAX) and American Funds' EuroPacific Growth Fund (AEPGX) are the three most popular mutual funds in the 401(k) market, according to research being released today.
American Funds, long-known as an equity player, is trying to reposition itself as a more diversified asset manager with a string of funds set to launch in the next few months
Offerings from American Funds, Fidelity Investments and The Vanguard Group Inc. had the biggest net outflows last year, according to Morningstar Inc.
American Funds No. 1, but some surprises on the list as well
Fund giant launching new offerings in bid to to diversify, reposition firm; 'caught short-suited'
American Funds, which is a unit of The Capital Group Cos. Inc., has come out with only two mutual funds in the past decade. The new offering, called the American Funds Global Balanced Fund, is set to make its debut Feb. 1.
American Funds, Fidelity Investments and Lord Abbett & Co. LLC are among a number of fund companies that will have to rethink how they serve the retirement marketplace through advisers if a proposed revamp of 12(b)-1 passes.
