When it comes to thought leadership, four fund firms stand out from the pack in the eyes of financial advisors, according to new research from the folks at a fundster-supporting consulting firm near Boston.

Michael "Mike" Evans Fuse Research Network Partner, Director of Advisor and Benchmark Research

Yesterday, Mike Evans, partner and director of advisor research at Fuse Research Network, revealed that new Fuse research puts Capital Group (home of America Funds) in the lead again, with 15 percent of FAs giving the firm top recognition as a thought leader. Other top contenders include BlackRock and First Trust (tied for second with 13 percent each) and J.P. Morgan (fourth with 12 percent). The findings come from a March 2025 survey of nearly 550 FAs, the results of which will be included in the "Marketing Support: The Advisor View" report (part of Fuse's Advisor Trend Monitor series) coming out soon, specifically in the middle of the month.

"This question was unprompted," Evans explains to MFWire. "Advisors named a single firm that was best at Thought Leadership."

Though the top four firms this year were also the leading quartet for 2024 and 2023, according to prior Fuse surveys, their race appears to have tightened a bit. Cap Group's lead used to be wider (it led with 20 percent in 2023 and a bit more in 2024), while First Trust has come up from behind (up from under 10 percent in 2024 and 8 percent in 2023).

"The firms that stand out in thought leadership don't just deliver data, they deliver perspective," Evans states. "Today's market demands clarity, and advisors value firms that help them translate complex signals into meaningful conversations."

"We expanded our 2025 rankings, which reveal a competitive landscape where content quality, relevance and strategic insight remain critical to advisor engagement," Evans adds.

Here's the complete top 10 list for 2025:

1) Capital Group/American Funds, 15 percent;

2) BlackRock, 13 percent;

2) First Trust, 13 percent;

4) J.P. Morgan, 12 percent;

5) Fidelity, 6 percent;

5) Vanguard, 6 percent;

7) Schwab, 4 percent;

8) Goldman Sachs, 3 percent;

8) Dimensional Fund Advisors, 3 percent (though Evans notes that DFA ranks in the top 5 among RIAs); and

10) Allianz's Pimco, 2 percent.

 

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