Big night for little Delaware at Lipper awards

MFS Investment Management will take the award for the best large mutual fund group and Delaware Management Company was named best small fund group at the annual Lipper Fund Awards, which took place tonight at The Plaza Hotel in New York. The Philadelphia-based Delaware took home two other awards as well: best small company in the fixed-income category and best small company in the mixed-assets category. MFS supplants T. Rowe Price Group Inc., which won for best large fund last year. Delaware, which is part of Australia's Macquarie Group, beat out scores of firms in the small fund category, including last year's winner, RidgeWorth Capital Management Inc. Click here for the full list of funds that took home trophies at last night's awards. For the list of fund families that won this year's Lipper awards, click here. Lipper's awards highlight funds that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to peers. Funds must have at least three years of performance history to be considered for an award. Lipper defines large fund groups as any family with more than $40 billion in assets under management. This year, 46 large fund companies competed in that category. Meanwhile, 172 companies competed in the small fund category, said Jeff Tjornehoj, an analyst with Lipper. For the second year in a row, Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC won for best large equity fund company. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC, won the best small equity company award, ousting Parnassus Investments, last year's winner. Loomis Sayles & Company LP was another repeat winner, taking home the award for the best large company in the fixed-income category. Janus Capital Management LLC won a category for the third straight year — once again taking home the prize for best large company in the mixed-assets category. Lipper unveiled a individual award this year for overall excellence in fund management. “This is where the analysts get to measure portfolio managers for their skill,” Mr. Tjornehoj said. “We looked at their ratings, their skill over time as well as several other factors. This award goes to Clyde McGregor, the portfolio manager of Oakmark Funds' Oakmark Equity and Income Fund Ticker:(OAKBX) and The Oakmark Global Fund. Ticker:(OAKGX). The funds are ranked first and eight in their categories for their performance over the past 10 years, according to Lipper.