Allan Gray has taken the honours as South Africa?s top-rated collective investment scheme management company for the fifth consecutive quarter according to the PlexCrown Survey for the quarter ended December 2009.

The investment house was also recently awarded the coveted Raging Bull Award (sponsored by Personal Finance in association with PlexCrown and Profile Data) as the top domestic management company of 2009 based on the PlexCrown Fund Rating methodology.

Allan Gray's astounding rating

According to Ryk de Klerk, director of PlexCrown Fund Ratings, Allan Gray achieved an astounding rating of 4.5 PlexCrowns out of a maximum score of five and displayed stellar performances on both domestic and foreign rand-denominated fronts. Allan Gray?s funds scored highly in the PlexCrown Ratings based on risk-adjusted return measures that are time-weighted over three- and five years.

These funds are:

• Allan Gray Stable Fund, which was the top-performing fund in the Domestic Asset Allocation Prudential Low Equity subcategory and second in the broader Domestic Asset Allocation Prudential category.

• Allan Gray Balanced Fund, which was the top-performing fund in the broader Domestic Asset Allocation Prudential category.

• Allan Gray-Orbis Global Fund of Funds, which was the top-performing fund in the Foreign Asset Allocation Flexible subcategory.

• Allan Gray-Orbis Global Equity Feeder Fund, which was the top-performing fund in the Foreign Equity General subcategory.

Both of Allan Gray?s other funds ? Allan Gray Equity Fund and Allan Gray Bond Fund ? achieved above-average ratings of four PlexCrowns, with the former ending in ninth position and the latter in sixth place in their respective subcategories.

Prudential the runner-up

Prudential was runner-up for the sixth quarter in a row.

"Prudential?s consistent investment excellence is evident in that the investment house retained its second position for the third year in a row in the race for the Raging Bull Award management company rankings," says De Klerk. Prudential achieved an overall rating of 3.708 PlexCrowns and was placed third in the overall domestic front and joint third in the overall foreign rand-denominated front. Prudential?s Equity Fund attained third spot in the Domestic Equity General subcategory and has maintained its top rating of five PlexCrowns for six consecutive quarters.

Nedgroup Investments third, Coronation fourth

With an overall management company rating of 3.563 PlexCrowns, Nedgroup Investments, which outsources the management of its funds, had the edge on Coronation (3.5 PlexCrowns) for third place.

"Nedgroup Investments' second place in domestic markets was boosted by a strong showing in domestic fixed interest where the Nedgroup Investment Bond Fund took top honours in the Domestic Fixed Interest Bond subcategory," says De Klerk.

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