TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2023 /CNW/ - BMO Global Asset Management had 16 exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and two mutual funds recognized for their outstanding performance, and received the most awards of any ETF provider, at the annual Fundata FundGrade A+^®Awards in Toronto.

The 2022 FundGrade A+^® Awards celebrate funds that displayed the best risk-adjusted returns and maintained an excellent performance rating throughout the calendar year. The award provides investors, advisors, and fund managers with a fund-performance rating based on up to ten years of history.

"It is an honour to be recognized with an A+ rating from Fundata, as it demonstrates our commitment to helping investors make progress and build stronger portfolios," said Kevin Gopaul, President, ETFs, BMO Global Asset Management. "Backed by the strength of our products and team, BMO ETFs are designed to stay ahead of market trends and provide compelling solutions to help advisors and investors."

"BMO Global Asset Management is proud of its track record of innovation and for bringing the very best ideas from its experienced team to create solutions that meet a variety of investor needs," said Sadiq S. Adatia, Chief Investment Officer, BMO Global Asset Management. "This recognition highlights our strong performance and investor commitment."

The following BMO ETFs and BMO Mutual Funds were awarded Fundata's FundGrade A+^® rating:

Fund Name	CIFSC Category¹	Fund Count ²	FundGrade Start Date³
BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON)	Global Fixed Income Balanced	465	2020-01-31
BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO)	Global Equity Balanced	735	2020-01-31
BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF (ZWE)	European Equity	115	2016-01-31
BMO Discount Bond Index ETF (ZDB)	Canadian Fixed Income	311	2015-01-31
BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (ZEQ)	European Equity	115	2015-01-31
BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index ETF (ZUQ)	U.S. Equity	836	2015-01-31
BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (ZGQ)	Global Equity	1146	2015-01-31
BMO Low Volatility US Equity ETF (ZLU)	U.S. Equity	836	2014-01-31
BMO Mid Provincial Bond Index ETF (ZMP)	Canadian Fixed Income	311	2014-01-31
BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD Index ETF (ZQQ)	U.S. Equity	836	2013-01-31
BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCS)	Canadian Short Term Fixed Income	162	2013-01-31
BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (ZEB)	Financial Services Equity	54	2013-01-31
BMO Global Infrastructure Index ETF (ZGI)	Global Infrastructure Equity	64	2013-01-31
BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZLC)	Canadian Long Term Fixed Income	10	2013-01-31
BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB)	Canadian Equity	371	2013-01-31
BMO MSCI EAFE Hedged to CAD Index ETF (ZDM)	International Equity	399	2013-01-31
BMO U.S. Small Cap Fund	U.S. Small/Mid Cap Equity	159	2019-01-31
BMO Sustainable Global Multi-Sector Bond Fund	RI Fixed Income	83	2019-01-31

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¹ Canadian Investment Funds Standard Committee (CIFSC)

² Number of peers in each category.

³ The end date for the FundGrade calculation is December 31, 2022.

For more information please visit: www.bmo.com/gam/ca

The ETF referred to herein is not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by MSCI and MSCI bears no liability with respect to the ETF or any index on which such ETF is based. The ETF's prospectus contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with the Manager and any related ETF.

Nasdaq® is a registered trademark of Nasdaq, Inc. (which with its affiliates is referred to as the "Corporations") and is licensed for use by the Manager. The ETF has not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability. The ETF is not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Corporations. The Corporations make no warranties and bear no liability with respect to the ETF.

Commissions, management fees and expenses (if applicable) all may be associated with investments in mutual funds and ETFs. Trailing commissions may be associated with investments in certain series of securities of mutual funds. Please read the ETF facts, fund facts or prospectus of the relevant mutual fund or ETF before investing. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in share or unit value and reinvestment of all dividends or distributions and do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any securityholder that would have reduced returns. Mutual funds and ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in BMO Mutual Funds or BMO ETFs, please see the specific risks set out in the prospectus of the relevant mutual fund or ETF. BMO ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.

BMO Mutual Funds are offered by BMO Investments Inc., a financial services firm and separate entity from Bank of Montreal. BMO ETFs are managed and administered by BMO Asset Management Inc., an investment fund manager and portfolio manager and separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.

BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.

®/™Registered trademarks/trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.14 trillion as of October 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

About the Fundata FundGrade A+ Rating

FundGrade A+® is used with permission from Fundata Canada Inc., all rights reserved. The annual FundGrade A+® Awards are presented by Fundata Canada Inc. to recognize the "best of the best" among Canadian investment funds. The FundGrade A+® calculation is supplemental to the monthly FundGrade ratings and is calculated at the end of each calendar year. The FundGrade rating system evaluates funds based on their risk-adjusted performance, measured by Sharpe Ratio, Sortino Ratio, and Information Ratio. The score for each ratio is calculated individually, covering all time periods from 2 to 10 years. The scores are then weighted equally in calculating a monthly FundGrade. The top 10% of funds earn an A Grade; the next 20% of funds earn a B Grade; the next 40% of funds earn a C Grade; the next 20% of funds receive a D Grade; and the lowest 10% of funds receive an E Grade. To be eligible, a fund must have received a FundGrade rating every month in the previous year. The FundGrade A+® uses a GPA-style calculation, where each monthly FundGrade from "A" to "E" receives a score from 4 to 0, respectively. A fund's average score for the year determines its GPA. Any fund with a GPA of 3.5 or greater is awarded a FundGrade A+® Award. For more information, see www.FundGradeAwards.com. Although Fundata makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Fundata.

Performance for BMO Conservative ETF (TSX:ZCON) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -11.36%; 3 years, 0.99%; 5 years, N/A; and since inception, 3.02% (2019-02-15).

Performance for BMO Growth ETF (TSX:ZGRO) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -10.53%; 3 years, 4.38%; 5 years, N/A; and since inception, 6.47% (2019-02-15).

Performance for BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF (TSX:ZWE) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, 0.10%; 3 years, 3.12%; 5 years, 4.03%; and since inception, 6.25% (2015-10-09).

Performance for BMO Discount Bond Index ETF (TSX:ZDB) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -11.95%; 3 years, -2.15%; 5 years, 0.28%; and since inception, 1.59% (2014-02-10).

Performance for BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (TSX:ZEQ) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -11.74%; 3 years, 5.33%; 5 years, 7.76%; and since inception, 8.88% (2014-02-10).

Performance for BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index ETF (TSX:ZUQ) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -17.68%; 3 years, 7.56%; 5 years, 11.47%; and since inception, 13.31% (2014-11-05).

Performance for BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF (TSX:ZGQ) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -18.26%; 3 years, 6.55%; 5 years, 9.35%; and since inception, 11.29% (2014-11-05).

Performance for BMO Low Volatility US Equity ETF (TSX:ZLU) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, 7.98%; 3 years, 9.99%; 5 years, 11.68%; and since inception, 14.92% (2013-03-19).

Performance for BMO Mid Provincial Bond Index ETF (TSX:ZMP) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -9.98%; 3 years, -1.38%; 5 years, 0.55%; and since inception, 1.76% (2013-03-19).

Performance for BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD Index ETF (TSX:ZQQ) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -33.74%; 3 years, 6.79%; 5 years, 10.31%; and 10 year, 14.32%.

Performance for BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (TSX:ZCS) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -4.51%; 3 years, 0.22%; 5 years, 1.37%; and 10 years, 1.77%.

Performance for BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (TSX:ZEB) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -10.38%; 3 years, 8.95%; 5 years, 6.47%; and 10 years, 10.17%.

Performance for BMO Global Infrastructure Index ETF (TSX:ZGI) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, 4.77%; 3 years, 5.85%; 5 years, 8.13%; and 10 years, 10.53%.

Performance for BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF (TSX:ZLC) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -19.11%; 3 years, -4.74%; 5 years, -0.51%; and 10 years, 2.34%.

Performance for BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (TSX:ZLB) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -0.41%; 3 years, 5.60%; 5 years, 7.55%; and 10 years 11.27%.

Performance for BMO MSCI EAFE Hedged to CAD Index ETF (TSX:ZDM) for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -5.56%; 3 years, 3.98%; 5 years, 4.56%; and 10 years, 7.93%.

Performance for BMO U.S. Small Cap Fund Series A for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -7.59%; 3 years, 9.32%; 5 years, N/A; and since inception, 6.98% (2018-05-14).

Performance for BMO Sustainable Global Multi-Sector Bond Fund Series A for the period ended December 31, 2022 is as followed: 1 year, -10.07%; 3 years, -2.05%; 5 years, N/A; and since inception, 0.40% (2018-05-14).

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2023/02/c0232.html

BMO ETFs and Mutual Funds Recognized with A+ Rating by Fundata