Virtus Launches International Equity Fund

The fund invests in 15 to 20 countries in both developed and emerging markets. According to a Virtus news release, the investment process begins with country selection, “which Pyrford believes is the greatest driver of alpha and the most significant contributor to beta reduction.” At the stock level, a fundamental process is used to identify companies that offer potential long-term earnings growth.

“Pyrford is very excited about this new opportunity to make our international equity strategy available to retail clients in the U.S. For more than a decade, our strategy has a proven track record of delivering excellent long-term investment returns with reduced risk,” said Tony Cousins, CFA, joint chief investment officer of Pyrford International, in a statement. “We look forward to working with Virtus in launching this new product and building a long-term relationship that will benefit both of our organizations and, most importantly, our mutual clients.”

The fund is co-managed by Cousins; Bruce Campbell, chief executive officer and joint chief investment officer; Paul Simons, CFA, head of portfolio management, Asia Pacific; and Daniel McDonagh, CFA, head of portfolio management, Europe/UK.