Mackenzie Investments wins 6 Lipper(R) Awards

Awards span a variety of asset classes and reflect both short-term and long-term performance

TORONTO, Feb. 19 /CNW/ - Mackenzie Investments has been recognized for industry leading fund performance at the prestigious 2010 Lipper(R) Fund Award ceremony, held February 18 in Toronto. The Awards recognize the top funds in each classification that have delivered stronger and more consistent performance than their peers.

Lipper's proprietary fund rating methodology is used to determine the winners. This quantitative approach ensures that the Lipper Awards are performance-based and objective.

The following Mackenzie funds won Lipper(R) Awards:

    
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    Best 10-year performance
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    Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund         Global Equity
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    Mackenzie Sentinel Income Fund       Canadian Fixed Income Balanced
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    Mackenzie Universal Canadian         Natural Resources Equity
     Resource Fund
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    Best 1-year performance
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    Mackenzie Cundill Global Balanced    Global Equity Balanced
     Fund
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    Mackenzie Cundill Recovery Fund      Global Small/Mid Cap Equity
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    Mackenzie Growth Fund                Canadian Focused Equity
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"We are gratified that Lipper recognized three of our largest funds for best10-year performance, and are particularly pleased that such a large number of investors have been well served by their financial advisors in meeting their long-term investment goals," said David Feather, President of Mackenzie Financial Services, Inc. "With track records of more than 30 years, Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund, Mackenzie Sentinel Income Fund and Mackenzie Universal Canadian Resource Fund have proven themselves to be consistent performers of the highest calibre."

Two funds were honoured with best 10-year performance for the second year in a row: Mackenzie Sentinel Income Fund and Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund. "At a time when Canadians are increasingly looking for fixed income solutions, Mackenzie Sentinel Income Fund has shown itself to be a sound choice. The Fund has a 35-year track record and has recorded an impressive 30 years of positive performance," said Feather.

Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund shares a similar record. A repeat winner in the Global Equity category, the Fund has produced above-average returns over the past 35 years, with only five negative years. "The awards are a testament to the investment process of the entire team," said Jim Thompson, Senior Vice President and Investment Team Lead at Cundill. "We have been fortunate to have Andrew Massie contributing to the success of our flagship Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund for many years. We also recognize the hard work of James Morton, portfolio manager of Mackenzie Cundill Recovery Fund, and David Tiley, manager of Mackenzie Cundill Global Balanced Fund, whose funds garnered best one-year performance awards."

Mackenzie Universal Canadian Resource Fund, also recognized for its 10-year performance, has been managed by Mackenzie's Chief Investment Strategist, Fred Sturm and his team since 1986. In addition to the resource fund, Sturm and his team oversee Mackenzie Growth Fund, which won the best one-year performance for Canadian focused equity.

Mackenzie Investments subadvisor ranked top US fund family by Barron's/Lipper

In addition to the recently announced Canada Lipper Fund Awards, Waddell & Reed Advisors Funds ("Waddell & Reed") topped the list of the "Best Mutual Fund Families" over the last five years in an annual ranking compiled by Lipper and published by Barron's in the newspaper's Feb. 1, 2010 issue. Over the five-year period ended Dec. 31, 2009, Waddell & Reed ranked first in terms of performance out of 54 fund families ranked. This is the second year in a row that Waddell & Reed has topped the five-year rankings.

Waddell & Reed's award-winning investment capabilities are available to Canadians exclusively through Mackenzie products, including several funds in the Mackenzie Universal, Sentinel and Focus fund families. The company also acts as a subadvisor to the Keystone and Symmetry managed asset programs.

About the Lipper(R) Fund Awards

The Lipper Fund Awards are part of the Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence, a global family of awards that celebrate exceptional performance throughout the professional investment community. The Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence recognize the world's top funds, hedge funds, fund management firms, sell-side firms, research analysts, and investor relations teams. The Thomson Reuters Awards for Excellence also include the Lipper Hedge Fund Awards, the Extel Survey Awards, the StarMine Analyst Awards, and the StarMine Broker Rankings.

Mackenzie Investments: Mackenzie Investments was founded in 1967, and is a leading investment management firm providing investment advisory and related services. With $62.5 billion in assets under management as of January 31, 2010, Mackenzie Investments distributes its services through a diversified network of third-party financial advisors. Mackenzie Investments is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial is one of Canada's premier financial services companies with over $118 billion in total assets under management as of January 31, 2010.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mackenzie Cundill Global Balanced Fund Series C: 1 yr. 31.7%, 3 yr. -4.7%, 5 yr -0.2%, 10 yr 4.1%; Mackenzie Cundill Recovery Fund Series C: 1 yr. 64.6%, 3 yr. -2.6%, 5 yr 5.5%, 10 yr 10.2%; Mackenzie Cundill Value Fund Series C: 1 yr. 18.3%, 3 yr. -6.9%, 5 yr -0.2%, 10 yr 5.6%; Mackenzie Growth Fund Series A: 1 yr. 56.5%, 3 yr. -12.9%, 5 yr -3.7%, 10 yr 4.1%; Mackenzie Sentinel Income Fund Series A: 1 yr. 18.1%, 3 yr. 0.8%, 5 yr 3.3%, 10 yr 6.3%; Mackenzie Universal Canadian Resource Fund Series A: 1 yr. 63.1%, 3 yr. -3.8%, 5 yr 7.1%, 10 yr 15.8%. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns as of January 31, 2010 including changes in 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 are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

For further information: Trish Tervit, Environics Communications Inc., [phone], [email protected]