More Equity Funds

Schwab’s Laudus Funds, which partners with third-party money managers, has added international equity and global equity mutual funds from London-based Mondrian Investment Partners Ltd. to its lineup. The Laudus Mondrian International Equity Fund (LIEQX) will invest primarily in large-cap equities of developed international companies, while the Laudus Mondrian Global Equity Fund (LGEQX) will invest in both U.S. and non-U.S. securities, and may also invest in emerging markets companies. Both funds will be available beginning June 17.

This is the first time that these “defensive value” strategies from Mondrian, which manages $65 billion, will be available in the U.S. as ’40 Act mutual funds, said David Hogan, client portfolio manager at Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. Each fund will be available in three share classes–an Investor class with an initial minimum investment of $100 and a net expense ratio of 1.40%; a Select class with a minimum initial investment of $50,000 and net expense ratio of 1.12%; and an Institutional class with a minimum $500,000 investment and net expense ratio of 1.05%.