About OBSR

Old Broad Street Research is recognised as the leading qualitative investment research company in the UK retail funds market.  We specialise in dedicated consultancy, researching and analysing investment funds and product wrappers.  Our research is highly respected and OBSR Fund Ratings are widely acknowledged as an independent mark of quality. 

 

Integrity and independence are absolutely crucial to our business. We look at all UK domiciled funds including Multi-Manager, to give impartial, whole of market coverage. In order to provide unbiased research we do not charge fund managers to research their funds; we only charge a license fee to managers wishing to publicise OBSR Fund Ratings.  Consequently we rate a number of managers with whom we do not have a commercial arrangement and it is this business model which protects the independence and integrity.

Our approach is underpinned by a number of important industry considerations. Firstly, Treating Customers Fairly (TCF), where our research can help ascertain which products are suitable for particular types of client, and also supports a consistent approach to investment research. Secondly, past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance, so we believe that in-depth, qualitative research rather than just a quantitative assessment of funds is absolutely vital to deliver robust investment advice. To support these outcomes, OBSR is committed to producing high quality and totally independent fund research and Ratings.

We work for many of the best known firms in the Industry; offering products and services to Fund Managers, Product Providers, Wraps and Platforms, Large Distribution Firms as well as individual advisers.

  

"Qualitative investment research is at the heart of our business.  We conduct independent, in-depth research with a view to understanding what a manager is trying to achieve and whether or not we believe a fund is likely to meet its investment objectives over the long-term.  We achieve this primarily through face-to-face meetings, but we also use quantitative analysis to inform our views. This research is the engine that powers the rest of our organisation and enables us to deliver bespoke solutions to product providers, fund management groups and intermediaries alike."

Richard Romer-Lee,
Research Director