Call it BAM!…The Sequel.

Last year, Montage saw its AUM jump 56% to $20 billion, and its staff grow nearly 20% to 262 (including 15 distribution hires).

This was in part due to the launch of six new mutual funds, and other existing funds hitting their sweet spots thanks to the bull market.

Well, Montage plans to launch up to six more funds this year as a followup.

Gary Henson, Montage president and CIO told MFWire that the areas ripe for product development include income and MLPs.

"Interest rates are still ridiculously low. There is a real need for income," he said. "And MLPs are very hot in the marketplace. They provide a nice income stream. Add to that, there is an energy Renaissance."

One product area Montage won't be going gangbusters on: alternatives:

"There has been a ton of products introduced into the market place termed alternative. Some of it good, some of it bad. I think the whole category is becoming diluted. It is getting crowded very fast," he said.

Henson said that Montage's boutiques incubate a number of strategies in SMAs at any given time. However, 2013 was notable year for fund launches because of all the opportunities in the marketplace, he said. He and his colleagues also devoted three years, from 2009 to 2011, to building up Montage's operations, including its distribution team.

He said Montage will likely hire more sales folk in 2014, but these will be "opportunistic."  

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