Morningstar Announces Finalists for 2026 Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence in Australia

SYDNEY 28 January -- Morningstar Australasia Pty Limited, a subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, has today announced the finalists of the 2026 Morningstar Australia Awards. The annual Awards program, now in its 26th year, recognise and celebrate the best of the Australian fund management profession who are selected by Morningstar's Manager Research analysts.

"With peak inflation, growth uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, 2025 was a challenging year to navigate, even for the best investors" said Matt Olsen, Morningstar Australasia's Director, Manager Research. "Despite the turbulent past year, our nominated fund managers demonstrated an ability to deliver quality, high-performing investments and have stood above peers with exceptional returns over the longer term."

Award finalists and winners are determined by a combination of research by Morningstar's manager research analysts; risk-adjusted medium- to long-term performance track records; and performance in the 2025 calendar year. The table below shows the category finalists, including finalists for the overall Fund Manager of the Year.

Methodology

Only fund managers with products available for sale in Australia qualify for inclusion in the Morningstar Awards. Morningstar determines winners based on a combination of research by its manager research analysts; risk-adjusted returns over medium- to long-term periods; and performance in the 2025 calendar year.

These awards are determined by a combination of risk-adjusted medium- to long-term performance track records and Morningstar's forward-looking rating for funds, the Morningstar Medalist Rating™ including its Parent pillar component. The Medalist Rating is set on a five-tier scale running from Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral and Negative at the share class level. The Morningstar Asset Manager - Sustainable Investing Awards are determined by a combination of Morningstar's qualitative and quantitative sustainability research capabilities.

The winners for the 2026 Morningstar Australia Awards will be announced Thursday 19 February at Hinchcliff House, Sydney. For more information about Morningstar Awards, visit https://go.morningstar.com/Morningstar-Awards

About Morningstar Australasia Pty Limited and Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar Australasia is a subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. ("the company"), a leading provider of independent investment insights in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retirement plan providers and sponsors, institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets, and alliances and redistributors. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $369 billion in AUMA as of Sept. 30, 2025. The Company operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries in 32 countries. For more information, visit http://www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on LinkedIn @Morningstar.

Morningstar's Manager Research Group

Morningstar's Manager Research Group consists of various wholly owned subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. including, but not limited to, Morningstar Research Services LLC. Morningstar Manager Research provides independent, fundamental analysis on managed investment strategies. Morningstar views are expressed in the form of Morningstar Medalist Ratings, which are derived through research of three key pillars-People, Process, and Parent. The Morningstar Medalist Rating is the summary expression of Morningstar's forward-looking analysis of investment strategies as offered via specific vehicles using a rating scale of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral, and Negative. A global research team issues detailed research reports on strategies that span vehicle, asset class, and geography.

Medalist Ratings are not statements of fact, nor are they credit or risk ratings, and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. A Medalist Rating is not intended to be nor is a guarantee of future performance. This press release is for informational purposes only; references to securities should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the securities.

Medalist Ratings are not statements of fact, nor are they credit or risk ratings, and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. A Medalist Rating is not intended to be nor is a guarantee of future performance. This press release is for informational purposes only; references to securities should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the securities.

The Awards are copyrighted to Morningstar. Fund managers may not publicise the Award(s) without the prior written consent of Morningstar.

Morningstar Medalist Ratings and Award nominees and winners are subjective in nature and should not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. Morningstar Medalist Ratings are based on Morningstar's current expectations about future events and therefore involve unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Morningstar's expectations not to occur or to differ significantly from what was expected. Morningstar does not represent its Morningstar Medalist Ratings to be guarantees nor should they be viewed as an assessment of a fund's or the fund's underlying securities' creditworthiness. The references above should not be considered a solicitation by Morningstar to buy securities.

©2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.