Barron's recognizes First Investors Funds in latest Best Fund Family report

NEW YORK, April 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - First Investors Funds ranked 9th out of 58 mutual fund families over a 5-year period in Barron's Best Mutual Fund Families of 2015.¹

The latest 5-year ranking represents a consistent move up that list over the last few years for Foresters Investors Management Company, Inc. (FIMCO)², the investment adviser to the First Investors family of funds.

"I am very proud of the rankings we have earned this year from Barron's," says Bill Lipkus, President and CEO of Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc.³ "We continue to stay true to our investment approach by applying the same active, disciplined management style that we have in prior years.  Consistency, along with a strong focus on the long-term, will best serve the diverse investment planning needs of our clients."

In an overall difficult year for the markets and investors, First Investors Funds also showed results for the 1-year and 10-year periods through 2015, ranking 27th out of 67 and 30th out of 52 fund families, respectively.

To qualify for the Barron's fund-family rankings, which are now in their 21st year, a firm must offer a wide range of funds with a minimum track record of one year. This includes at least three funds in Lipper's general U.S. stock category, one in world equity and one in mixed-asset, as well as two taxable bond funds and one tax-exempt bond fund.¹

All told, only 67 out of the 860 asset managers in Lipper's database had the diversified menu of equity and fixed income funds to meet the criteria for this ranking in 2015.

For more information about any First Investors mutual fund, please visit our website: forestersfinancial.com.

¹ Barron's Best Mutual Fund Families of 2015 measures one-year results of 67 fund families for the one year period ended December 31, 2015. To qualify for the Barron's/Lipper Fund Survey, a group must have at least three funds in Lipper's general U.S. stock category, as well as one in world equity, which combines global and international funds. They also require at least one mixed-asset (or "balanced") fund, which holds stocks and bonds. Fund firms also must have at least two taxable-bond funds and one tax-exempt offering. Each fund's returns are adjusted for 12b-1 fees, which are used for marketing and distribution expenses. The funds usually add these fees back into returns. Barron's/Lipper's aim is to measure the manager's skill. Fund loads, or sales charges, are not included in the calculation of returns. Each fund's return is measured against those of all funds in its Lipper category. That leads to a percentile ranking, with 100 the highest and 1 the lowest, which is then weighted by asset size, relative to the fund family's other assets in its general classification. Finally the score is multiplied by the weighting of its general classification, as determined by the entire Lipper universe of funds. The category weightings for the one-year results: general equity 39.4%; world equity 17.5%, mixed-asset 17.9%, taxable bond 21.6% and tax exempt bonds 3.6%. The category weightings for the five-year results were general equity, 40.1%; world equity, 17.4%; mixed asset, 17.7%; taxable bond, 21%; and tax-exempt bond, 3.8%. The category weightings for the 10-year results were general equity, 45.1%; world equity, 15.9%; mixed asset, 16%; taxable bond, 18.8%; and tax-exempt bond, 4.2%. For Barron's five-and ten-year categories as of 12/31/15, First Investors Funds ranked 9 out of 58 funds and 30 out of 52 funds, respectively. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

² Foresters Investment Management Company, Inc. is the investment adviser to the First Investors family of funds and an affiliate of Foresters Financial Services, Inc. Foresters Financial Services, Inc. is the underwriter and distributor of the First Investors Funds.

³ Foresters Financial Services, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and subsidiary of Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc.

All investing involves risk, including the risk that you can lose money. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

For more information about any First Investors mutual fund from Foresters Financial Services, Inc., you may obtain a free prospectus by contacting your Representative, calling 800 423 4026 or visiting our website forestersfinancial.com. You should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the funds carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the funds, and should be read carefully before you invest or send money. An investment in these funds is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

The views expressed herein are based on the information available at the time they were issued and may change based on market or other conditions. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice or be relied upon to make an investment decision. Investment decisions should be based on an individual's personal goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Any forward-looking statements made herein are based on assumptions of future events. Actual events are difficult to predict and may differ from those assumed, thus there is no guarantee that forward-looking statements will materialize.

About Foresters Financial (formerly First Investors)The Foresters Financial group of companies is a diversified financial services company and includes a registered broker-dealer, an investment adviser, a life insurance company and a transfer agent. Foresters Financial Services, Inc., a broker-dealer, helps everyday families reach their financial goals by offering solutions and guidance through its network of Financial Representatives working in 42 branch offices across the United States. Foresters Investment Management Company, Inc. is the investment adviser to the First Investors family of funds, which had more than $10 billion in total assets under management as of December 31, 2015. Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, Inc., a New York domiciled insurance company, offers a range of insurance and annuity products and maintains an "A" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best⁴. For more information visit: forestersfinancial.com.

About ForestersForesters is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. We provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals and make a lasting difference in their lives and communities. Foresters has assets of almost $14 billion, total funds under management of $34 billion and a surplus of $2.3 billion (all figures in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015) and maintains an "A" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best⁴. For more information, visit foresters.com.

First Investors mutual funds are offered by Foresters Investment Management Company, Inc. and distributed by Foresters Financial Services Inc.; each is a wholly owned subsidiary of Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc.

Foresters Financial™ and Foresters™ are the trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters, a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9 and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. Foresters Financial Services, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and subsidiary of Foresters Financial Holding Company, Inc. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters.

⁴An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ and A+ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings. In assigning Foresters rating on July 1, 2015, A.M. Best stated that the rating outlook is "stable", which means it is unlikely to change in the near future. See ambest.com for our latest rating.

SOURCE Foresters Financial