Signature Assets
Ratings have proprietary artwork and are backed by Morningstar methodology and research. They are entirely unique to Morningstar and considered core intellectual property—think of these as Signature Assets with a capital S and A.
Ratings are based on performance, resiliency, management, and other factors. They are not predictive and aren't considered buy or sell recommendations. For more information on current methodology, see XYZ.
Morningstar Medalist Rating
The Morningstar Medalist Rating is a forward-looking, quantitative assessment of a fund’s ability to outperform its category peers over the long term.
Funds receive a Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral, or Negative rating, reflecting the strength of their investment process, people, and parent company. A higher rating means the fund has a solid foundation for future success, though it’s not a guarantee of future performance.
Usage
Scale
Language Variants
English
French
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Color
Color is typically applied for standalone applications or when higher emphasis is needed.
Black is typically applied for inline or tabular applications or when lower emphasis is needed.
Do apply black to the rating in tabular applications.
Don't apply color to the rating in tabular applications.
Do consider applying color to the rating in standalone applications when more emphasis is needed.
Avoid applying black to the rating in standalone applications.
Clear Space and Alignment
Recommended clear space and alignment for standalone applications
Recommended clear space and alignment for inline applications
Tips
Do write out “Morningstar Medalist Rating” within inline copy.
Don't use the Morningstar Medalist Rating artwork in place of text.
Do use the small version of the rating for tabular applications to ensure legibility at smaller sizes.
Don't use the default version of the rating for tabular applications, as its finely drawn appearance renders the rating illegible.
Do hang the shield so the first letterform is aligned flush left.
Don't create an awkward indentation through unhung artwork.
Do align rating artwork flush left.
Don't align rating artwork flush right.
Don't rearrange the order of the shield and letterforms.
Don't use the shield by itself.
Third-Party Use
Third parties licensing the Morningstar Medalist Rating have additional assets for their exclusive use.
Third parties must follow Morningstar's display policy for marketing and advertising with our ratings. For more information, please email XYZ.
Don't use dedicated third-party artwork on Morningstar-owned properties.
Resources
Morningstar Rating
The Morningstar Rating, also known as the star rating, helps investors quickly gauge a stock or fund’s past risk-adjusted performance compared to similar investments. Since our founding, the Morningstar Rating has been one of our most recognizable signature assets.
For funds, the rating is based on historical returns over three, five, and ten years, adjusted for risk and costs, and then ranked within their category on a one- to five-star scale, with five being the best.
For stocks, the rating reflects Morningstar’s estimate of fair value, considering financial health and growth potential.
Usage
Variants
The solid five-pointed star represents three years of historical performance.
The outlined five-pointed star represents an extended performance rating, or less than three years of historical performance.
Scale
Recommended minimum size
Color
Do apply black to the rating.
Don't apply color to the rating.
Clear Space and Alignment
Recommended clear space and alignment for standalone applications
Recommended clear space and alignment for inline applications
Tips
Do write out "Morningstar Rating" in text.
Don't use the Morningstar Rating artwork in place of text.
Do use the solid star Morningstar Rating.
Don't use the outline stars for decorative purposes; use them only to indicate extended performance or less than three years of historical performance.
Don’t apply tracking to the Morningstar Rating; the points of the stars should just touch.
Third-Party Use
Third parties licensing the Morningstar Rating have additional artwork for their exclusive use.
Third parties must follow Morningstar's display policy for marketing and advertising with our ratings. For more information, please email XYZ.
The Morningstar Rating seal may be displayed in black or red.
The Morningstar Rating seal is available for three-, five-, and 10-year ratings.
Resources
Morningstar ESG Risk Rating
The Morningstar ESG Risk Rating, formerly known as the Morningstar Sustainability Rating, measures how well the companies in a fund manage their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks compared to their peers.
Funds are rated on a scale of one to five globes. Funds with high ESG risk relative to their Morningstar Global Category would receive one globe, whereas five globes would represent low ESG risk.
Usage
Variants
A display version is available for larger displays or for standing alone and is rendered in color.
A data version is available for smaller displays and is always rendered in black.
Scale
Recommended minimum size for display version
Recommended minimum size for data version
Color
Blue
Black
Don't desaturate the color of the display version.
Don’t render the data version in color.
Clear Space and Alignment
Recommended spacing between globes
Recommended clear space and alignment for standalone applications
Tips
Do write out "Morningstar Sustainability Rating" in text.
Don't use the Morningstar Sustainability Rating artwork in place of text.
Do use the data version for tabular applications.
Don't use the display version for tabular applications.
Do reduce opacity of unearned globes to 40%.
Don't remove unearned globes.
Resources
Morningstar Economic Moat Rating
The Morningstar Economic Moat Rating—borrowing the Warren Buffett-coined term—indicates a company’s competitive edge. Companies with a wide moat have advantages expected to last 20 years or more, while those with a narrow moat have strengths likely to last at least 10 years. No-moat companies lack a lasting edge.
The rating is based on factors like intangible assets, switching costs, network effect, and cost advantage to help investors identify businesses with long-term staying power.
Usage
Variants
The Morningstar Economic Moat Rating may stand on its own.
The Morningstar Economic Moat Rating may be accompanied by text to the right and set in Morningstar Intrinsic with tighter letter spacing.
Scale
Color
Teal
Black
Clear Space and Alignment
Recommended clear space and alignment for standalone applications
Recommended clear space and alignment for standalone applications with text
Tips
Do write out "Morningstar Economic Moat Rating" in text.
Don't use the rating artwork in place of text.
Don't rearrange the order of the artwork and text.
Resources
Fair Value Estimate
The Morningstar Fair Value Estimate is an analyst-driven assessment of what a company’s stock is worth based on projected future cash flows. It helps investors determine whether a stock is undervalued, fairly valued, or overvalued compared to its current market price. If a stock trades below its fair value, it may be a buying opportunity; if it trades above, it could be overpriced.
Variants
Extended
Compact
