2021 ICI Research and Statistical Publications

ICI is the primary source of analysis and statistical information on the investment company industry. In addition to the annual Investment Company Fact Book, the Institute’s Research Department released more than 300 papers, ICI Viewpoints posts, and statistical reports in 2021.

The Investment Company Fact Book remains one of ICI Research’s most visible products. In its 62nd edition, this ICI publication continues to provide the public and policymakers with a comprehensive summary of ICI’s data and analysis.

Papers

Industry and Financial Analysis

• “Trends in the Expenses and Fees of Funds, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, March 2021
• “The Closed-End Fund Market, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, May 2021
• “Ongoing Charges for UCITS in the European Union, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, September 2021
• “Strategic Complementarity Among Investors with Overlapping Portfolios,” November 2021

Retirement and Investor Research

• “Profile of Mutual Fund Shareholders, 2020,” ICI Research Report, January 2021
• “The Role of IRAs in US Households’ Saving for Retirement, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, January 2021
• The BrightScope/ICI Defined Contribution Plan Profile: A Close Look at ERISA 403(b) Plans, 2017, January 2021
• “Defined Contribution Plan Participants’ Activities, 2020,” ICI Research Report, February 2021
• “American Views on Defined Contribution Plan Saving, 2020,” ICI Research Report, February 2021
• “401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2018,” ICI Research Perspective, March 2021
• “Comparing the Current Population Survey to Income Tax Data,” March 2021
• “What US Households Consider When They Select Mutual Funds, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, April 2021
• “Ten Important Facts About 401(k) Plans,” May 2021
• “Defined Contribution Plan Participants’ Activities, First Quarter 2021,” ICI Research Report, June 2021
• “The Economics of Providing 401(k) Plans: Services, Fees, and Expenses, 2020,” ICI Research Perspective, June 2021
• The BrightScope/ICI Defined Contribution Plan Profile: A Close Look at 401(k) Plans, 2018, July 2021
• “The IRA Investor Profile: Traditional IRA Investors’ Activity, 2010–2018,” ICI Research Report, August 2021
• “Who Participates in Retirement Plans, 2018,” ICI Research Perspective, September 2021
• “Target Date Funds: Evidence Points to Growing Popularity and Appropriate Use by 401(k) Plan Participants,” ICI Research Perspective, September 2021
• “Defined Contribution Plan Participants’ Activities, First Half 2021,” ICI Research Report, September 2021
• “Changes in 401(k) Plan Asset Allocation Among Consistent Participants, 2010–2018,” ICI Research Perspective, October 2021
• “Characteristics of Mutual Fund Investors, 2021,” ICI Research Perspective, October 2021
• “Ownership of Mutual Funds, Shareholder Sentiment, and Use of the Internet, 2021,” ICI Research Perspective, October 2021
• “The IRA Investor Profile: Roth IRA Investors’ Activity, 2010–2018,” ICI Research Report, November 2021
• “Profile of Mutual Fund Shareholders, 2021,” ICI Research Report, December 2021

ICI’s papers and more are available at www.ici.org/research.

Analysis and Commentary: ICI Viewpoints

In addition to research papers, ICI staff produce analysis and commentary for the Institute’s blog, ICI Viewpoints. Below are some examples of recent analysis by ICI staff, including a series of posts detailing the experiences of bond funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please visit www.ici.org/viewpoints to find these and more.

• Survey Confirms: Despite COVID-19, Retirement Savers Protect Their Accounts
• Mutual Funds: Rated G—All Audiences Admitted
• Main Street Owns Wall Street
• All You Need Is Love…and a Spousal IRA
• Experiences of US Bond Mutual Funds, ICI Viewpoints series
• Growth in Bond Mutual Funds: A Question of Balance
• Growth in Bond Mutual Funds: See the Whole Picture
• What’s in a Name, Redux: For Bond Mutual Funds, “Corporate” Matters
• Bond Mutual Fund Outflows: A Measured Investor Response to a Massive Shock
• Fund Investors’ Expenses Are Falling on Both Sides of the Pond
• Traditional and Roth IRAs Offer Choice and Flexibility
• Previous Reform Made Prime Funds Less Resilient This Time Around
• On Closer Look, a Very Different Picture of Funds’ Role in the Commercial Paper Market
• Jump In for Mutual Fun
• IRA Investors Are Concentrated in Lower-Cost Mutual Funds

Statistical Releases

Trends in Mutual Fund Investing

Monthly report that includes mutual fund sales, redemptions, assets, cash positions, exchange activity, and portfolio transactions for the period by 42 investment objectives.

Estimated Long-Term Mutual Fund Flows

Weekly report that provides aggregate estimates of net new cash flows to 16 categories of equity, hybrid, and bond mutual funds.

Estimated Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) Net Issuance

Weekly report that provides aggregate estimates of net issuance to six categories of ETFs.

Combined Estimated Long-Term Mutual Fund Flows and ETF Net Issuance

Weekly news release and report that provides aggregate estimates of net new cash flows and net issuance to six categories of long-term mutual funds and ETFs.

Money Market Fund Assets

Weekly report on money market fund assets by type of fund.

Monthly Taxable Money Market Fund Portfolio Data

Monthly report based on data contained in SEC Form N-MFP that provides insights into the aggregated holdings of prime and government money market funds and the nature and maturity of security holdings and repurchase agreements.

Retirement Market Data

Quarterly report that includes individual retirement account (IRA) and defined contribution (DC) plan assets, mutual fund assets inside retirement accounts, and estimates of mutual fund net new cash flows to retirement accounts by type of fund.

Mutual Fund Distributions

Quarterly report that includes paid and reinvested capital gains and paid and reinvested income dividends of mutual funds by broad investment classification.

Institutional Mutual Fund Shareholder Data

Annual report that includes mutual fund asset information for various types of institutional shareholders, broken out by broad investment classification.

Closed-End Fund Data

Quarterly report that includes closed-end fund assets, number of funds, issuance, redemptions, distributions, use of leverage, and number of shareholders by investment objective.

Exchange-Traded Fund Data

Monthly report that includes assets, number of funds, issuance, and redemptions of ETFs by investment objective.

Unit Investment Trust Data

Monthly report that includes the value and number of new trust deposits by type and maturity.

Worldwide Regulated Open-End Fund Data

Quarterly report that includes assets, number of funds, and net sales by broad investment classification of funds in 46 jurisdictions worldwide. 

These and other ICI statistics are available at www.ici.org/research/stats. To subscribe to ICI’s statistical releases, visit www.ici.org/pdf/stats_subs_order.pdf.