Methodology Documents

We present a wide range of analyses of empirical results from the Morningstar Portfolio Risk Scoring system.

An integrated client risk-profiling and portfolio risk-scoring system.

The EU taxonomy classification system of environmentally sustainable activities and large EU corporations will disclose information that indicates how aligned the company's revenue, operating expenditure, and capital expenditure are to the EU goal of being net zero by 2050. The EU taxonomy will eventually cover six environmental green "objectives" and will be extended to social objectives and to identify "brown" activities.

The EU taxonomy classification system of environmentally sustainable activities and large EU corporations will disclose information that indicates how aligned the company's revenue, operating expenditure, and capital expenditure are to the EU goal of being net zero by 2050. The EU taxonomy will eventually cover six environmental green "objectives" and will be extended to social objectives and to identify "brown" activities.

As the field of sustainable investing matures, Morningstar continues to evolve its data, research, and analytics to help investors assess the ESG risks and attributes in their portfolios.

Managed accounts (also known as managed portfolios in markets including the United Kingdom) are investment portfolios that are managed by a portfolio manager with discretion over assets at an asset-management firm.

A structured product (also called a structured note) is an investment product that combines a debt issuance with embedded derivatives to create customized payoff profiles. Structured products may have coupon interest and/or principal repayment dependent on the value or return of one or more assets.

The Morningstar Category™ classifications for 529 investment options were introduced in 2010 to help investors make meaningful comparisons between 529 options.

This paper outlines category classifications for portfolios available for sale in the United States.

Methodology Definitions for U.S. Institutional Categories

Here we explore our quantitative equity ratings, which are empirically driven and based on the proprietary ratings our analysts are already assigning to stocks.

The methodology provides information about the currency exposure of the assets and liabilities in which a portfolio is invested.

Questions and answers for this methodology, which provides information about the currency exposure of the assets and liabilities in which a portfolio is invested.

The grades in the Global Investor Experience Fees and Expenses study were based on responses to six questions in a fixed-response survey completed by in-house, market-expert analysts, plus other inputs determined quantitatively by leveraging Morningstar's comprehensive and extensive global database of managed products.

Morningstar Fee Level for Canada methodology FAQs

Morningstar leverages its vast database of mutual fund holdings to map the company-level data to portfolio holdings and calculate impact metrics at the portfolio level.

This notebook provides users with standardized measures of tracking performance and facilitates peer group comparisons.

The updated style box provides an intuitive visual representation of style that helps investors build better portfolios and monitor them more accurately.

Using the Sustainalytics ESG Impact Framework, Morningstar introduces new impact metrics to help investors evaluate a company's environmental and social impacts, as well as how these play out within an investor's portfolio.

New Zealand Classification System

In March 2004, Morningstar introduced the category classification methodology for Chinese mutual funds. Since that time, there have been significant developments in the Chinese financial market as well as an increase in both the quantity and variety of fund products.

The Morningstar Sustainability Rating is designed to support investors in evaluating the relative environmental, social, and governance risks within portfolios.

We present a wide range of analyses of empirical results from the Morningstar Portfolio Risk Scoring system.

This document explains the methodology behind Morningstar Portfolio Risk Score for evaluating portfolios and determining if they align well with the asset allocations of the Morningstar Target Allocation Indexes.

The Morningstar Rating for Funds Methodology provides the theoretical basis and calculation logic for the quantitative star rating.

A guide to the Morningstar classification system for Fixed Income, cash and cash equivalents. This methodology document addresses the Morningstar global fixed income classification.

Until now, we have been refreshing our flows models on an ad-hoc basis. Now we have implemented the fund flows model into Morningstar products so these insights can be gleaned in a live setting.

Morningstar identifies a Primary Share in Market for open-end funds and exchange-traded funds. This is a proprietary data point and the primary share class is identified by the application of a set of hierarchal criteria.

Methdology explaining the Morningstar portfolio level calculations for EU taxonomy

Using corporate legal filings in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, Morningstar introduces new gender diversity metrics to help investors evaluate the gender diversity breakdown of officers and boards of directors for public companies as well as portfolios.

In November 2021, Morningstar will enhance the Sustainability Rating to cover not just corporate investments held by funds but also investments in countries, such as Sovereign Debt. This FAQ document aims to answer common questions about this most recent change.

A breakdown of Morningstar Analyst Ratings methodology changes.

We share details about this feature.

Methodology paper for Malaysia market

Morningstar Category classifications sorts portfolios into peer groups based on their holdings. The categories help investors identify the top performing funds, assess potential risk, and build well-diversified portfolios. Here is how those categories are decided upon and funds assigned to them.

This methodology is applied to HK MPF Funds.

Australian category classification system

In March 2004, Morningstar introduced the category classification methodology for Chinese mutual funds. Since that time, there have been significant developments in the Chinese financial market as well as an increase in both the quantity and variety of fund products.

The Morningstar Globe Rating for companies is a visual representation of the Sustainalytics ESG Risk Classification that will allow investors to easily identify securities with low ESG risk.

The Globe Rating for companies is a visual representation of the Sustainalytics ESG Risk Classification that will allow investors to easily identify securities with low ESG risk.

For funds available for sale in the United States.

Morningstar Risk Decomposition Methodology

In May 2021, Morningstar will introduce several data points that will make it easier for investors to use the pillar scores.

In this updated and expanded report, we build upon our original examination of synthetic exchange-traded funds in Europe, describing how the split between physical and synthetic ETFs in Europe has evolved in the past decade, citing the causes for the fall in popularity of the synthetic structure and why investors are again expressing interest in it for exposure to mainstream US equity indexes.

Morningstar Risk Model Historical Scenario Analysis

Crowd Sense helps investors gain a broader picture of investment popularity and places that popularity in the context of the underlying appeal of the investment.

The Disclosure grades issued in the Global Investor Experience study were based on the answers to 30 questions in a fixed-response survey completed by in-house, country-expert analysts, plus other inputs determined quantitatively by leveraging Morningstar's comprehensive and extensive global database of managed products.

The Morningstar ESG Commitment Level offers a qualitative, analyst-driven evaluation of investment strategies and asset managers from an environmental, social, and governance perspective.

The Morningstar Style Box™, sometimes referred to as the Equity Style Box, was introduced in 1992 to help investors and advisors determine the investment style of a fund. It provides an intuitive visual representation of style that helps investors build better portfolios and monitor them more precisely.

Mexico Category Classification System