Principal Blue Chip Fund Earns Best 5-Year U.S. Large-Cap Growth Award

Principal Blue Chip Institutional Fund is a 2020 U.S. Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards winner

DES MOINES, Iowa--()--Principal Global Investors® has been recognized as a 2020 U.S. Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards recipient, with the Principal Blue Chip Fund (Class I: PBCKX) being named the best U.S. large-cap growth fund over the most recent five-year period.

The honor was announced on Thursday in New York at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2020 United States ceremony. Funds and fund management firms earning recognition in 2020 have consistently provided strong, risk-adjusted three-, five- and 10-year performance relative to their peers.

We are honored to be a Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award winner,” said Kamal Bhatia, president and CEO of Principal Funds. “Principal Funds has great investment solutions for investors globally and our blue chip fund is certainly deserving of this recognition as a top performing equity fund year-after-year.”

More than $5 billion of assets are being managed in the Principal Blue Chip Fund. It is managed by Aligned Investors, an investment team within Principal Global Investors that also manages another $18 billion in the Principal MidCap Fund. Bill Nolin has overseen both funds since their inceptions as the lead portfolio manager. Tom Rozycki started co-managing the Principal Blue Chip Fund in December 2012 and the Principal MidCap Fund in March 2013.

Since the fund’s inception, we have invested in businesses that have great competitive advantages and owner-operator management teams,” Nolin said. “We continue to believe our long-term approach with a focus on aligned incentives is the best way to deliver attractive returns for our investors.”

A leading global research firm, Refinitiv Lipper uses proprietary methodology to generate an independent and uncompromised assessment of fund performance for its annual awards. The merit of the winners is based on objective, quantitative criteria. Visit www.lipperfundawards.com for more information about the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2020 rankings and methodology.

About Principal Global Investors®

Principal Global Investors® leads global asset management at Principal®. As a multi-boutique firm, we bring a focused perspective and offer expertise across a host of asset classes.

At our core, we are driven by our purpose to help investors and businesses achieve their financial goals. Our global investment professionals deliver investment solutions for public and private pension funds, foundations and endowments, central banks, insurance companies, sub-advisory arrangements, sovereign wealth funds and individual portfolios.

Principal Global Investors manages approximately $458.6 billion in assets on behalf of over 800 institutional clients located in over 80 countries as well as retirement plans and individual clients, reflecting our worldwide market reach and experience and our commitment to high-quality research and service (as of December 31, 2019). To find out more, visit us at principalglobal.com.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Class I shares are available only to eligible investors, including various institutional investors and investors in certain mutual fund wrap or asset allocation programs.

Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards

The Principal Blue Chip Fund (Class I-PBCKX) received the 2020 Refinitiv Lipper Best Large-Cap Growth Fund Award over the trailing 5-year period out of 153 funds that met Lipper’s criteria.

The Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 months. The fund with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value in each eligible classification wins the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award. The calculation periods run through the end of November of the year prior to the award year. For more information, see lipperfundawards.com. Although Refinitiv Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Refinitiv Lipper.

Principal Blue Chip Fund (Class I) Lipper Percentile Rankings (Large Cap Growth Fund Category) as of 12/31/2019: 1-yr, 7th (40/627 funds); 5-yr, 2nd (9/517 funds); 10-yr NA.

Carefully consider a fund’s objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact your financial professional or visit principalfunds.com for a prospectus, or summary prospectus if available, containing this and other information. Please read it carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Co. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities are offered through Principal Securities, Inc., 800-547-7754, Member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Principal Life, Principal Funds Distributor, Inc., and Principal Securities are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

Principal, Principal and symbol design and Principal Financial Group are trademarks and service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.

Contacts

Media Contact: Phillip Nicolino, 515-362-0239, nicolino.phillip@principal.com

Release Summary

Principal Blue Chip Institutional Fund awarded 2020 U.S. Refinitiv Lipper Award for best large-cap growth fund over the most recent five-year period.

Contacts

Media Contact: Phillip Nicolino, 515-362-0239, nicolino.phillip@principal.com