Harbor has a long history of employing best-in-class subadvisors on its actively managed mutual funds, including large-growth equity manager Jennison Associates, which runs Harbor's largest fund, at roughly USD 28 billion in assets under management—about half the firm's total AUM. Other solid managers include Baillie Gifford and LSV. The firm has also demonstrated a willingness to part ways even with longtime managers, such as Pimco in 2022.
Harbor's solid manager-selection team and its process provide confidence in the firm's evolution. Recognizing that investor preferences are broadening to include exchange-traded funds and other vehicles, Harbor has expanded its lineup from its bread-and-butter single-subadvisor open-end mutual funds. It has launched 11 ETFs since the start of 2022, two of which were mutual fund conversions. Harbor now offers 15 ETFs. Many of these are managed by smaller and less-established asset managers like Irrational Capital and Quantix Commodities, as Harbor's seasoned researchers look to provide early access to what they consider promising investors and to partner with these boutiques to provide vehicle-agnostic distribution. The firm also launched one collective investment trust, run by Jennison.