The asset management giant Vanguard has ejected 29 stocks from the funds created to invest in companies with strong environmental, social and governance records. The news published by the Financial Times as of August 13, 2019 reports Vanguard statement after the event: “the companies were included...
ESG Rating / 01.08.2019
LSE acquisition of Refinitiv
London Stock Exchange ("LSE") signed a deal with investment funds affiliated with Blackstone and Thomson Reuters to acquire Refinitiv, financial data and trading platforms provider. Refinitiv shareholders will acquire a stake of approximately 37 per cent economic interest in LSEG and less than 30 per cent of the total voting rights...
ESG Rating / 22.07.2019
ESMA advises against explicit ESG analysis mandate for credit rating agencies
“Credit rating agencies should not be explicitly required to consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors when assessing issuers’ creditworthiness, according to the EU financial markets watchdog.” This is what IPE claims right after ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) decision of excluding the explicit...
A US$ 500m ETF run by Vanguard that claims in its marketing material to specifically exclude "fossil fuel" stocks invest in several companies in the oil and gas industry, including oil services company Schlumberger, pipeline company Kinder Morgan and crude oil refiner Marathon Petroleum, as of...
As the Financial Times pointed out, a vast amount of deals occurred recently that involved ESG rating agencies. For example, Moody’s announced last month that it had bought a majority stake in Vigeo Eiris. But, even if these deals did not caught much attention by the press and the...
ESG Rating / 15.04.2019
Moody’s Acquires Majority Stake in Vigeo Eiris
Moody’s Corporation announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Vigeo Eiris, leader in ESG research, data and assessments. The acquisition is part of Moody’s wider objective of promoting global standards for ESG for use by market participants and reflects the progressive significancy that ESG analysis is...
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), leading provider of end-to-end responsible investment and governance solutions to the global financial community, announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Strategic Insight, a leading provider of data, business intelligence, and research to the global investment management...
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) announced the acquisition of oekom research AG as of March 15, 2018. Oekom is a leder in providing environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating and dara and in carrying on research on sustainable investments. The acquisition will result in the creation...
ESG Rating / 24.07.2017
Morningstar acquires 40% in Sustainalythics
As of July 24, 2017 Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research with heaquarters in Chicago, announced that it had acquired a 40% ownership stake in Sustainalythics. Nearly two years after partnering with Sustainalytics to develop ESG ratings of funds, Morningstar acquired the 40% stake...
ESG Rating / 14.10.2016
Morningstar to acquire PitchBook Data
As of October 14, 2016 Morningstar announced it has achieved an agreement to acquire PitchBook Data, Inc. PitchBook, founded in 2007, delivers data, research, and technology covering the breadth of the private capital markets, including venture capital, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). PitchBook...
Proxy adviser Institutional Stakeholder Service (ISS) has acquired Scandinavia-based Ethix SRI Advisors, a company that offers sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) research and consultancy in investment decisions. The company will be renamed ISS-Ethix. “This acquisition is in keeping with our long-standing commitment to expand our product offerings, provide...