Fund industry’s top performers clinch honors at Lipper awards

The stars of the fund world took a break from the volatility roiling the markets to attend the 2026 LSEG Lipper Fund Awards last night.

The annual awards celebrate the industry’s top funds and fund management firms and around 125 attendees came out for the glitzy event in Manhattan’s financial district.

Consistent out-performance of individual funds and fund companies are rewarded at the event, with winning funds demonstrating consistently strong risk- adjusted returns compared with peers, according to LSEG Lipper. The awards recognize 20 actively managed mutual funds across a variety of asset classes and styles.

Fidelity Mutual Funds was a big winner, clinching 25 U.S. LSEG Lipper Fund Awards. “Our investment professionals delivered outstanding results for Fidelity’s shareholders throughout the year, a commitment underscored by recognition from the Lipper Fund Awards,” said Bart Grenier, Head of Asset Management at Fidelity Investments. “Their expertise and disciplined approach continued to drive the long-term, risk-adjusted performance that supported solid financial and operating outcomes across Asset Management and the firm.”

“As we enter 2026, we are well-positioned for continued success by executing with focus and innovating for our customers,” Grenier added.

Franklin Templeton also had a big night, clinching seven awards across Franklin Advisors, Franklin Global Equity, and Putnam Investment Management. “It’s a great testament to the work of our entire investment team,” Jonathan Schreiber, solutions portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton told InvestmentNews.

Overall, 111 funds won an award for the three-year period ended November 30, 2025. Some 111 funds were recognized with a Lipper Fund Award over the five-year period, and 103 funds won for the 10-year period.

Third Avenue Management clinched the award for best fund in the global real estate category for three and five years. “We feel great about it – it’s great to get the accolade from Lipper,” Erik Kleinbeck, managing director of Third Avenue Management told InvestmentNews. “We’re thrilled to be here again, especially at a time that real estate is coming back into focus for a lot of allocators.”

“In eight years, we have won an award either for our U.S. or UCITS fund,” he added.

Also last night, Nuveen won the award for best large fund family equity group.

Winners are not chosen by simply by picking funds with the highest returns in their U.S. mutual fund classifications. Rather, the awards calculation methodology focuses on funds that have delivered superior consistency and risk-adjusted returns compared to their peers, echoing how investors perceive financial gains and losses.

The LSEG Lipper Fund awards are focused on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating. Calculated over 36, 60, and 120 months, the rating is a risk-adjusted, objective, and quantitative performance measure. Funds must have at least 36 months of performance history as of the end of the calendar year of the respective evaluation year.

Awards are given to funds with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return, or “effective return” value in each eligible classification. To win an award, funds have to win in two periods. Funds that win in one period are eligible to receive a certificate.

More than 380,000 share classes in over 83 countries are covered by the LSEG Lipper data, and the ratings are available for mutual funds and ETFs registered for sale in 45 markets.