17.3.5 Organization Of Mutual Fund

Organization Of A Mutual Fund

Mutual funds are collective investment vehicles that allow investors to pool their money together to invest in a diversified portfolio of securities. The typical structure and organization of mutual funds involve several key entities, each with distinct roles and responsibilities.

Directors and Trustees

Directors of a mutual fund corporation or trustees of a mutual fund trust hold the ultimate responsibility for ensuring investments in the fund are consistent with the fund’s investment objectives. Their primary duties include:

• Ensuring the fund’s investments align with its stated objectives.
• Overseeing the overall performance and administration of the fund.
• Possibly contracting independent entities like a fund manager, distributor, and custodian to assist in running the fund.

Fund Manager

The fund manager provides day-to-day supervision of the fund’s investment portfolio. The manager has to follow the guidelines specified in the fund’s charter and prospectus, as well as provincial securities regulations.

Responsibilities of the Fund Manager

• Overseeing daily management of the portfolio, ensuring investments align with fund objectives.
• Maintaining liquidity for actions such as share redemptions and dividend payments.
• Calculating the fund’s Net Asset Value Per Share (NAVPS).
• Preparing the fund’s Fund Facts documents, simplified prospectus, and reports.
• Supervising shareholder or unitholder record-keeping.
• Providing documentation to custodians for distribution needs such as cash release or securities liquidation.

The fund manager earns a management fee for these services, calculated as a percentage of the fund’s net asset value.

Distributors

Distributors play an essential role in selling mutual funds to investors. They can include:

• Investment advisors employed by securities firms.
• Sales forces from organizations controlling both management and distribution groups.
• Independent direct sales organizations.
• In-house distributors like employees of trust companies, banks, or credit unions.

Responsibilities of Distributors

• Explaining fund objectives and terms in understandable language to potential investors.
• Providing financial planning assistance, including “know your client” and suitability standards.
• Handling client inquiries and processing share redemptions.

As compensation, distributors usually receive a sales fee.

Custodian

An independent financial organization, typically a trust company, is designated the fund’s custodian. The custodian’s duties include:

• Collecting money from fund buyers and portfolio income.
• Managing cash distributions through dividends, portfolio purchases, and share redemptions.
• Sometimes also serving as registrar and transfer agent, maintaining accurate records of share ownership.

Custodial roles can be complicated due to the fluctuating number of outstanding shares and activities like fractional share purchases and dividend reinvestment plans.

Mutual Funds Fundamentals

Structure Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Diversification: Spreading risk across a range of securities reduces the impact of any one security’s poor performance.
• Professional Management: Fund managers bring expertise and experience to the investment process.
• Liquidity: Investors can get their money relatively quickly.

Disadvantages

• Fees: Mutual funds charge management and other fees, which can affect performance.
• Management Risks: The fund’s success largely depends on the manager’s ability to make profitable decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Mutual Fund?

A mutual fund is a type of investment vehicle made up of a pool of funds from many investors to invest in securities such as stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other assets.

What is NAVPS?

NAVPS stands for Net Asset Value Per Share, indicating the value per share of a mutual fund based on the market value of its portfolio’s assets.

Key Takeaways

• Mutual funds include directors or trustees, a fund manager, distributors, and a custodian, each with distinct roles and responsibilities.
• Fund managers oversee daily fund operations while maintaining liquidity and ensuring the fund’s investments adhere to stated objectives.
• Distributors explain fund terms to potential investors, ensuring compliance with “know your client” standards.
• Custodians manage fund assets, keeping accurate records of ownership and handling the distribution of dividends and share redemptions.
• While mutual funds offer advantages like diversification and professional management, they come with fees and management risks.