Huntington Funds debuted three new funds last Friday -- the Huntington Conservative, Balanced and Growth Allocation Funds. The trio operate under a fund-of-funds structure that invests in other existing Huntington funds.
The new products join Huntington's 16 existing mutual fund and four money market fund offerings.
Huntington Funds Announces Three New Fund of Funds
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 3-- Huntington Funds is pleased to introduce three new mutual funds, effective July 31, 2009. The new Huntington Asset Allocation Funds are an addition to the Huntington Funds 16 mutual funds and four money market fund offerings.
The new funds include Huntington Conservative Allocation Fund (HCAFX), Huntington Balanced Allocation Fund (HBAFX) and Huntington Growth Allocation Fund (HGRFX). Each fund is a "fund of funds" that invests in a portfolio of other existing Huntington Funds known as the underlying funds. All of the funds are advised by Huntington Asset Advisors, Inc. (HAA), a subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.
"The fund of funds concept used by the Huntington Asset Allocation Funds helps investors of all sizes diversify their investment portfolios," said Randy Bateman, President of HAA and Chief Investment Officer of Huntington National Bank. "The fund of funds design brings together the collective expertise of nearly all our fund managers, who are some of the most experienced in the industry."
Diversifying a portfolio among a variety of different security types and market sectors has been shown to improve the long-term performance of a portfolio more than any other investing practice.
Huntington Asset Allocation Funds utilize a tactical asset allocation strategy, allocating specific percentages of each of the underlying funds to the portfolios based on their performance objectives and risk characteristics. Allocations are reviewed regularly and adjusted to take advantage of opportunities Huntington strategists see in the market.
The concept of investing in a fund of funds was formed in the 1970s as a private equity investment, gaining popularity in the nineties, according to Probitas Partners(1). The design is intended to provide greater stability and lower risk associated with the decisions of a single manager. As in all other areas of investing, there are no guarantees for returns.