Founded in 1975 in Salt Lake City, Wasatch early on adopted a "multiple eyes" approach that has supported the firm's expansion and success. Small groups of portfolio managers and analysts research and share ideas across strategies, even as the firm has branched out from its U.S.-focused roots into international stocks. This structure has helped Wasatch train analysts as investors and thereby gradually deepen its manager ranks on most products.
Fully owned by its employees, Wasatch is likely to remain independent for the foreseeable future. In 2023, it added 17 employee-owners, and now more than half of its staff has stakes in the firm. No individual controls more than 25% of the business.
In other ways, however, the firm’s response to growth has had mixed results. It has managed strategy sizes fairly well, but recent offerings in its Select suite have yet to take hold. Fees—even on its largest and most established funds—remain stubbornly high. Wasatch has solid senior leadership in CEO J.B. Taylor and others who figure to be around for a while, though its next leaders aren't readily apparent. Yet, Taylor, like many of his colleagues, has spent most of his career at Wasatch and is deeply committed to the firm's long-term success.