Agenda Announced for Morningstar Investment Conference, the Industry's Largest Independent Conference

CHICAGO, March 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced the agenda for its 31st annual Morningstar Investment Conference, set to convene Wednesday, May 8 through Friday, May 10 at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

"We continue to believe there's never been a better—or more important—time for great advice, particularly as investors are demanding that advice providers deliver more value to earn their fees," said Kunal Kapoor, chief executive officer at Morningstar. "For 35 years, Morningstar has upheld our commitments to independence and putting investors first. Our conference agenda addresses the industry's most pressing topics, from the complex world of fixed-income, to climate-aware investing, to the latest conversations about retirement and healthcare."

Featuring five tracks, Active, Passive, Outcome-Oriented Investing, Practice Management, and—new this year—Solutions, the conference brings together the financial industry's brightest and most influential minds to discuss the latest developments on financial advice, share new perspectives on the market, and offer ideas to put in to practice to better serve investors. This year's keynote speakers include:

• Cliff Asness, founder, managing principal and chief investment officer, AQR Capital Management
• Sonal Desai, executive vice president and chief investment officer, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group
• Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Morgan Housel, partner, Collaborative Fund
• Kunal Kapoor, chief executive officer, Morningstar
• Daniel Needham, chief investment officer, Morningstar Investment Management
• Emmanuel "Manny" Roman, chief executive officer and managing director, PIMCO
• Boyd Varty, life coach, wildlife and literacy activist

The Morningstar keynote panel session will focus on healthcare innovation and its associated costs, moderated by Christine Benz, director of personal finance at Morningstar, and featuring Damien Conover and Karen Anderson from Morningstar's equity research healthcare team. Attendees will also hear from David Giroux, portfolio manager and head of investment strategy at T. Rowe Price, and Jean Hynes, managing partner at Wellington Management, on a panel, "Changing Definitions of Equity Value," moderated by Katie Reichart, director of U.S. equity strategies at Morningstar.

New at the conference this year, Morningstar will announce the winners of the Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence, recognizing portfolio managers, asset-management firms, and up-and-coming managers who demonstrate excellent investment skill and the courage to differ from the consensus to benefit investors over the long term. The awards program consists of three recognitions: Outstanding Portfolio Manager Award, Exemplary Stewardship Award, and Rising Talent Award. The methodology for the awards is available here.

Conference attendees will again be able to participate in a virtual reality experience, this time to consider a client's preference for environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, an area with growing investor interest, and to assess how investment decisions may affect the climate. Conference goers can also participate in the interactive Innovation Lab, to preview upcoming developments in Morningstar's products and research and provide feedback in user testing groups.

More information about the Morningstar Investment Conference, including the full agenda, hotel accommodations, and continuing-education credits, is available at http://www.morningstar.com/company/MIC. Tune in on Twitter with #MICUS or by following @MorningstarInc.

Research Showcase
Morningstar also offers its research showcase for registered attendees from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT on May 8 at McCormick Place. Morningstar experts will present the one-hour sessions, ranging from innovations in ratings, fixed-income data and analytics, to the latest research on strategic beta and factor exposures.

Registration Information 
The Morningstar Investment Conference costs $900 per person, which includes all sessions, two breakfasts, two lunches, and two receptions. Morningstar's Early Bird Pricing for a full three-day pass is $730, available through March 15, 2019. Registration is available online at http://www.morningstar.com/company/MIC. Two weeks in advance of the conference, registered attendees will receive a link to download the Morningstar Investment Conference mobile app, which features the full agenda, speaker bios, and the ability to build a personal schedule for the conference.

Media Registration Information 
Full-time members of the news media may receive complimentary registration to the Morningstar Investment Conference. To register, visit http://www.morningstar.com/company/MIC and select registration type as "media."

About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and institutional investors in the private capital markets. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with more than $193 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Dec. 31, 2018. The company has operations in 27 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on Twitter @MorningstarInc.

©2019 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Media Contact:
Rebecca Rogalski, +1 312 244-7771 or [email protected]

SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.

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