Fidelity launches fund focused on female leadership

Fidelity launches fund focused on female leadership
Gender-focused strategies are growing in popularity with socially conscience investors.
MAY 08, 2019
By  Bloomberg

Fidelity Investments has started a mutual fund that invests in companies with a high percentage of women in leadership positions. The actively managed Women's Leadership Fund was launched on Wednesday, according to a statement from Boston-based Fidelity, which is led by Abby Johnson. The fund will invest in about 100 companies that have either one-third women board members, a woman on the senior management team or that meet gender diversity initiatives for hiring, retention, paid leave and promotion of women. (More:ESG funds boosted by women and millennial investors) "I'm looking for companies that I believe are committed to female leadership and development, that can grow earnings more than the market and that have resilient businesses models," said Nicole Connolly, Fidelity's head of ESG investing and the fund's portfolio manager. Strategies that focus on gender are growing in popularity as managers appeal to more socially conscience investors. The Fidelity fund sets a high bar for such funds, which typically require that a company have from one to three women on their board to qualify for the strategy. Ms. Connolly said she hopes her fund will be an incentive for companies to promote and hire more women and will back proposals at companies that push for gender targets. She said the average percentage of women on boards in the Russell 3000 index is about 17%. (More:Lipper plans ESG scoring system for mutual funds) The Women's Leadership Fund, which can allocate across all sectors, is looking at about 700 companies in the Russell 3000 index as potential investments and expects that universe to keep growing. It has no investment minimums. There are about 40 gender-focused investment funds, according to data tracked by Bloomberg, and more than half of them were launched since 2017.

Latest News

SEC Says Game Service Roblox Part of ‘Active Investigation’
SEC Says Game Service Roblox Part of ‘Active Investigation’

Short sellers previously said the company was under investigation, though Roblox denied allegations.

Musk’s DOGE descends on CFPB with intention to shut it down
Musk’s DOGE descends on CFPB with intention to shut it down

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is in the crosshairs of the Republican group that is widely attempting to dismantle government agencies.

Advisor fighting Finra banishment loses $17.7 million dispute with old firm
Advisor fighting Finra banishment loses $17.7 million dispute with old firm

National Securities Corp. sued the advisor in 2020, alleging breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

Job numbers, inflation leaving room for Fed to hold rates
Job numbers, inflation leaving room for Fed to hold rates

Recent data support a measured pace by the Federal Reserve for the year ahead.

Private assets remain hot despite surging stock market
Private assets remain hot despite surging stock market

Financial advisors are still adding alternatives despite the surge in publicly traded stock prices

SPONSORED Taylor Matthews on what's behind Farther's rapid growth

From 'no clients' to reshaping wealth management, Farther blends tech and trust to deliver family-office experience at scale.

SPONSORED Why wealth advisors should care about the future of federal tax policy

Blue Vault features expert strategies to harness for maximum client advantage.