Chicago-based Thomas White Funds has launched three new classes of shares for two of its no-load, foreign equity funds—its flagship Thomas White International Fund (TWWDX) and the Thomas White Emerging Markets Fund (TWEMX).
The new share classes—A Shares, C Shares and I Shares—will allow the funds to be available to a wider range of investors, the firm stated. The new share classes became available on Aug. 31.
The funds are managed by Thomas White International, Ltd., which was founded in 1992 by Thomas White, Jr., a former managing director of Morgan Stanley Asset Management and chairman of Thomas White Funds. The firm also manages separately managed accounts and institutional mandates.
The International Fund, a foreign equity fund launched in 1994, has $640.2 million in assets under management, and returned 4.84% through June 30, according to the firm. The Emerging Markets Fund, launched in 2010, has $30 million in AUM and returned 4.23% through June 30, compared to 3.93% in its benchmark MSCI Emerging Markets Index for the same period. Both funds are managed by White.
While the International Fund and the Emerging Markets Fund carry expense ratios of 134 basis points and 150 bps, respectively, and both funds have a $2,500 minimum investment for non-retirement accounts, the new share classes will have a variety of expense ratios and minimum investment levels.
In the International Fund, investors in the Class A shares (TWWAX) will pay a 168 bps gross expense ratio; the Class C shares (TWWCX) will pay 218 bps; and the Class I shares (TWWIX), 118bps. Both Class A and C have $2,500 minimum investment requirements, while the Class I shares has $1 million minimum investment required.
In the Emerging Markets Fund, investors in the Class A shares (TWIAX) will pay a 220 bps gross expense ratio; the Class C shares (TWICX) will pay 270 bps; and the Class I shares (TWIIX), 170 bps. Like the International Fund, Both Class A and C of the Emerging Markets Fund have $2,500 minimum investment requirements, while the Class I shares has $1 million minimum investment required.
“The new share classes will allow our International Fund and Emerging Markets Fund to be accessible to a broader group of investors and their advisors,” said White, in a statement. “The competitive pricing structure and other features of the new share classes underscore our commitment to the varied needs of investors interested in international as well as emerging markets investment products.”
