Lord, Abbett Trims International Funds’ Expense Ratios

A news release said expense ratios for the Lord Abbett International Core Equity Fund (LICAX) and the Lord Abbett International Dividend Income Fund (LIDAX) Class A shares is 1.12%. The net expense ratios had been 1.43% on International Core Equity and 1.35% on International Dividend Income.

The International Core Equity Fund, established in 2003, invests in the stocks of large and mid-sized international companies poised for significant appreciation where valuations may potentially expand and growth may exceed expectations. The fund currently manages approximately $939 million in assets.

The International Dividend Income Fund, created in 2008, seeks international companies with high yields, sustainable dividends, and below-average valuations to construct a portfolio that potentially rewards investors in two ways: high dividend income and capital appreciation. Current assets in this fund are $325 million.

“Today, more than half of the world’s market cap and almost three times the number of public companies are outside the United States,” said Mike Weldon, Lord Abbett partner and director of Marketing, in the news release. “Yet few investors are aware of this breadth and, as a result, typically allocate less than 20% of their portfolios to international markets. The international markets also offer greater dividend potential to investors, and access to industry sectors, like building products and shipping, that may no longer exist in the United States.”