Retail investors now have access to the American Beacon Intermediate Bond Fund and the American Beacon Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Fund. This week the Fort Worth, Texas-based asset manager (formerly owned by American Airlines' parent) added its retail "Investor Class" to the two funds, both of which had previously only been available in institutional shares.
Also this week, American Beacon dumped the "Plan Ahead" and "Service" share class names, in favor of Investor and "Advisor" class, respectively (see MFWire, 3/4/2009).
Company Press Release
FORT WORTH, TX – American Beacon Advisors, Inc. announces the creation of two additional Funds to their Investor Class (formerly PlanAhead Class®), the class designed primarily for retail investors. The American Beacon Intermediate Bond Fund – Investor Class (ticker: ABIPX) and the American Beacon Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Fund – Investor Class (ticker: ABTPX) were opened for new investors on March 2, 2009.
The American Beacon Intermediate Bond Fund is multi-manager core bond fund that seeks income and capital appreciation through investments in investment-grade debt obligations. The Fund’s investment strategy seeks to maintain a duration of three to seven years. The Fund’s sub-advisors are Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, Inc. and American Beacon Advisors, Inc. which managed the Fund since its inception in 1997. American Beacon uses a “manager-of managers” strategy for this Fund, which combines the talents of multiple, leading investment advisory firms within a fund. This strategy has historically produced a diverse portfolio of holdings, while providing for a fund with less volatility.
The American Beacon Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (“TIPS”) Fund is a single-manager fund that seeks inflation protection and income primarily through investments in inflation-indexed debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury Department and backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. The Fund’s sub-advisor is NISA Investment Advisors, LLC which managed the Fund since its inception in 2004.
“We are very excited about extending our mutual fund offerings to include these two funds for retail investors,” said Bill Quinn, Chairman of American Beacon Advisors. “We are confident that our ‘manager-of managers’ strategy, below-average expense ratios and return history for the Funds will attract new customers to these Funds.”
About American Beacon Advisors, Inc.
Established in 1986, American Beacon Advisors, Inc. is an experienced provider of investment advisory services to defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, foundations, endowments, corporations, and other institutional investors as well as retail markets. American Beacon Advisors also manages the American Beacon Funds, a series of low-cost, no-load mutual funds open to institutional investors, retirement accounts such as IRAs, and individual investors. The fund family currently includes a variety of portfolios spanning longer-range investments in international and domestic equity categories as well as short-term investment options including money market funds.