Touchstone Total Return Bond Fund Merges with EARNEST Partners Fixed Income Trust

CINCINNATI, Aug. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Touchstone Investments this week expanded its strategic partnership with EARNEST Partners and merged the existing assets of the EARNEST Partners Fixed Income Trust into the Touchstone Total Return Bond Fund.  

EARNEST Partners ("EARNEST") will remain sub-advisor to the Touchstone Total Return Bond Fund.  There will be no material changes to the investment strategies employed or the investment professionals managing the Fund. The Fund's sub-advisor, EARNEST seeks to maximize total return by investing in fixed income market sectors and securities that are considered undervalued for their risk characteristics. Like Touchstone's other sub-advisors, EARNEST will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund and work with a large measure of independence, operating within its own demonstrated area of expertise.  

Shareholders who held the EARNEST Partners Fixed Income Fund Investor Class (EPFIX) had their shares exchanged into the Touchstone Total Return Bond Fund Class A (TCPAX).   Shareholders who held the EARNEST Partners Fixed Income Fund Institutional Class (EPFTX) had their shares exchanged into the Touchstone Total Return Bond Fund Class Y (TCPYX).

The accounting survivor of the merger will be the EARNEST Partners Fixed Income Trust, which commenced operations in 1991.  The Fund reports a competitive performance history, outperforming its benchmark, the Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index, for one, three, five and 10 years.   It has also outperformed its peers and posted top quintile performance for the same periods as reported by Morningstar.

"We are pleased to welcome EARNEST's shareholders to Touchstone and excited to bring EARNEST's outstanding historical performance record to Touchstone," states Steven M. Graziano, president, Touchstone Investments.  "This merger also allowed us to reduce fund expenses due to the Fund's increased assets."  

About Touchstone Investments

Touchstone Investments is a mutual fund company committed to providing investors with access to institutional asset managers who act in a sub-advisory capacity. While its sub-advisors are held to strict performance standards, they work with a large measure of independence and operate within their own demonstrated areas of expertise. Touchstone's rigorous asset manager evaluation process and robust oversight approach are designed to ensure delivery on Touchstone's commitment of achieving competitive long-term results. The Touchstone Funds are advised by Touchstone Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor, and are distributed nationally through intermediaries including broker-dealers, financial planners and institutions by Touchstone Securities, Inc., a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC.

Important Additional Information

Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. The prospectus and the summary prospectus contain this and other information about the Fund. To obtain a prospectus or a summary prospectus, contact your financial advisor or download and/or request one at TouchstoneInvestments.com/home/formslit/ or call Touchstone at 800.638.8194. Please read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Investment return and principal value of an investment in a Fund will fluctuate so that investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data quoted. For performance information current to the most recent month-end, visit TouchstoneInvestments.com/home/pricingperformance/.

Touchstone, Touchstone Funds and Touchstone Investments are federal service mark registrations and applications owned by IFS Financial Services, Inc. Touchstone Securities, Inc., Touchstone Advisors, Inc. and IFS Financial Services, Inc. are members of Western & Southern Financial Group. For more information, please visit TouchstoneInvestments.com.

About EARNEST Partners

EARNEST Partners is an SEC-registered advisor located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was founded in 1998. EARNEST Partners is a fundamental, bottom-up investment manager, overseeing assets for municipalities, states, corporations, endowments, eleemosynary groups and universities. The Fund will be managed by Douglas Folk, CFA, who joined EARNEST Partners in 1999 and has over twenty years of investment experience and Chris Fitze, CFA, who joined EARNEST Partners in 2003 and has seven years of investment experience. To find out more about EARNEST Partners, visit its website at www.earnestpartners.com.  

Investment products offered are not FDIC insured, may lose value and have no bank guarantee.

Touchstone Funds are distributed by Touchstone Securities, Inc.*

*A registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC

Touchstone is a member of Western & Southern Financial Group

TSF-1600-PR-1108

SOURCE Touchstone Investments