One area of strength is the firm’s favorable fees for open-end and exchange-traded funds, demonstrating a firm-wide commitment to minimizing costs and maximizing investors’ returns. Fees for funds are, on average, within the second-lowest quintile of similarly distributed strategies. A sign of strength at SEI is its longest-tenured management, which boasts 13 years of average tenure at the firm. This wealth of experience builds confidence that the group can navigate a variety of market environments adeptly. Portfolio management turnover at SEI is higher than at peer firms, detracting from the overall assessment of the firm's stewardship. Turnover in the portfolio-management ranks can happen for a number of reasons, including mergers and liquidations, portfolio managers moving into other roles, or portfolio managers leaving the firm. In some cases, such change may not signal a serious or immediate problem at the firm, but can still be disruptive for investors, hinder the effectiveness of a firm’s investment processes, or suggest a weaker investment culture.
SEI's track record as a steward is mixed, leading to an Average Parent Pillar rating.