OppenheimerFunds Expands Class I Shares Fund Lineup

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OppenheimerFunds, Inc., which introduced its first Class I mutual fund shares in December 2011, announced today that its I Shares product lineup has expanded to 21 funds.

"The recently enacted 401(k) fee disclosure rules have elevated the role of institutional investment consultants and advisors in helping clients both minimize Defined Contribution plan fees and present them clearly to plan participants," said Kathleen Beichert, Senior Vice President, Retirement Marketing.  "OppenheimerFunds has expanded its I Shares lineup to offer greater choice to plans that prefer to pay advisory and recordkeeping fees separately with an eye toward making fee details more transparent to retirement savers."

In addition to expanding its lineup of funds offering I Shares, OppenheimerFunds has introduced a number of services to help financial advisors benchmark and optimize their plans. "We expect the implementation of fee disclosures to cause some disruption in the market as plans review their recordkeeping, investment and advisory relationships,"said Beichert.  

Demand for Class I shares has also been fueled by institutional clients and the consultants that serve them.  "The low cost and simplicity of Class I shares, relative to alternative structures, make them an increasingly viable option for institutional clients," said Kim Mustin, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Strategic Accounts.  "The firm is committed to providing strategies and solutions to meet the evolving needs of its broad client base, as underscored by the growth of our sales and client relationship teams to over 50 professionals serving the retirement markets," said Mustin.  

Among Oppenheimer fund share classes, I Shares generally carry the lowest expense ratios and do not charge 12b-1 or sub-transfer agency fees.  A complete list of Oppenheimer funds for which I Shares are available is provided below:

Class I shares are only offered to eligible institutional investors that make a minimum initial investment of $5 million or more (waived for retirement plan service provider platforms). Class I shares are sold at net asset value without a sales charge. Please see Fund prospectuses for additional eligibility and other information.

About OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
OppenheimerFunds, Inc. is one of the nation's largest and most respected investment management companies. As of August 31, 2012, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., including subsidiaries, managed more than $182 billion in assets.  The Company and its divisions and subsidiaries offer a broad range of products and services to individuals, corporations and institutions, including mutual funds, separately managed accounts, qualified retirement plans and sub-advisory investment management services.

Shares of mutual funds are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not guaranteed by any bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency, and involve investment risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Before investing in any of the Oppenheimer funds, investors should carefully consider a fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Fund prospectuses and summary prospectuses contain this and other information about the funds, and may be obtained by asking your financial advisor, visiting oppenheimerfunds.com, or calling 1.800.525.7048. Read prospectuses and summary prospectuses carefully before investing.

Oppenheimer funds are distributed by OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. Two World Financial Center, 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY, 10281

© 2012 OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE OppenheimerFunds, Inc.