BMO Global Asset Management Wins in Multiple Categories at 2017 Lipper Fund Awards

• Seven funds recognized, ranging from fixed income to equity and domestic to global

TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM) was recognized at the 2017 Thomson Reuters Lipper Fund Awards, with seven BMO Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) claiming top honours.

The annual Lipper Fund Awards honour top risk-adjusted performing funds relative to peers. In addition, they recognize fund families with high average scores for all funds within a particular asset class or overall.

BMO GAM claimed top honours for the following funds:

• BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (Ticker ZLB): Best ETF in the Canadian Equity Space (over three years)
• BMO US Dividend ETF (Ticker: ZDY): Best ETF in the US Equity Space (over three years)
• BMO Mid Corporate Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZCM): Best ETF in the Canadian Fixed Income Space (over three years)
• BMO Equal Weight U.S. Banks Index ETF (Ticker ZBK): Best ETF in the Financial Services Equity Space (over three years)
• BMO Mid-Term US IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZIC): Best ETF in the Global Fixed Income Space (over three years)
• BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker ZEQ): Best ETF in the European Equity Space (over three years)
• BMO Long Provincial Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZPL): Best ETF in the Canadian Long Term Fixed Income Space (over three years)

"We're thrilled by this recognition from Lipper," said Kevin Gopaul, Head of Quantitative Strategies & ETFs, BMO Global Asset Management. "Since first launching ETFs in 2009, we have developed a broad product shelf with leading edge, top-performing funds, and continue to be committed to offering more choice to investors."

Today, BMO GAM offers 95 ETF listings and has a market share of nearly 32 per cent in Canada, according to Bloomberg data.

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

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About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $709 billion as of July 31, 2017, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

*BMO ETFs are administered and managed by BMO Asset Management Inc., which is an investment fund manager and portfolio manager and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.

Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds. Please read the prospectus before investing. Exchange traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name that comprises BMO Asset Management Inc., BMO Investments Inc., BMO Asset Management Corp. and BMO's specialized investment management firms.

About The Lipper Fund Awards
The Lipper Fund Awards, granted annually, are part of the Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence awarded by Lipper, Inc. and highlight funds that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Ratings for Consistent Return, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 month periods. The highest 20% of funds in each category are named Lipper Leaders for Consistent Return and receive a score of 5, the next 20% receive a score of 4, the middle 20% are scored 3, the next 20% are scored 2 and the lowest 20% are scored 1. The highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return in each category wins the Lipper Fund Award. Lipper Leader ratings change monthly. For more information, see www.lipperweb.com. Although Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Lipper.

Lipper and Lipper Leader are trademarks of Lipper Limited, a Thomson Reuters Company, and have been licensed for use by the Bank of Montreal.

BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (Ticker ZLB), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Equity ETF category for the 3 year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 19 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO US Dividend ETF (Ticker: ZDY), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the US Equity ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 34 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), N/A (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO Mid Corporate Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZCM), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Fixed Income ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 19 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), 5 (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF (Ticker ZBK), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the Financial Services Equity ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 9 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), N/A (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO Mid-Term US IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZIC), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the Global Fixed Income ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 8 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  5 (3 years), N/A (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF (Ticker ZEQ), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the European Equity ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 6 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows: 5 (3 years), N/A (5 years), N/A (10 years).

BMO Long Provincial Bond Index ETF (Ticker ZPL), was awarded the 2017 Lipper Fund Award in the Canadian Long Term Fixed Income ETF category for the three year period ending July 31, 2017 out of a total of 5 funds. The corresponding Lipper Leader ratings of the fund for the same period are as follows:  4 (3 years), N/A (5 years), N/A (10 years).

The exchange traded funds or securities referred to herein are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by MSCI, and MSCI bears no liability with respect to any such funds or securities or any index on which such funds or securities are based. The prospectus contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with BMO Asset Management Inc. and any related funds.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media Contacts: Alicia Skrinjar, Toronto, [email protected], [phone]; Valérie Doucet, Montreal, [email protected], [phone]