Virtus Investment Partners
Annual Report 2014

Plain-text annual report

V I R T U S I N V E S T M E N T P A R T N E R S 2 0 1 4 A N N U A L R E P O R T VIRTUS_0007_Cover_2015_041715R.indd 1 4/17/15 1:08 PM COORDINATED CAPABILITIES SINGULAR FOCUS 2014 ANNUAL REPORT Summary of Operations (dollars in millions, except per share data) Revenues Operating Income Operating Income, as Adjusted1 Net Income Attributable to Common Stockholders Operating Margin Operating Margin, as Adjusted1 2014 450.6 $ 2013 389.2 $ Change 16% $ $ $ 130.7 162.8 97.7 29% 48% $ $ $ 113.5 131.0 75.2 29% 45% 15% 24% 30% 10% 18% Per Share Data Weighted Average Shares Outstanding – Diluted (in thousands) Earnings per Share – Diluted 9,292 10.51 8,433 $ 8.92 $ Assets Under Management (dollars in millions) Ending Long-Term Assets Under Management2 $ 56,702.4 $ 56,183.0 1% By product (12/31/2014): l Long-Term Open-End Mutual Funds l Closed-End Mutual Funds l Variable Insurance Funds l Separately Managed Accounts3 l Institutional Products3 Total $ 36,292.3 7,581.4 1,221.9 6,884.8 4,722.0 $ 56,702.4 By asset category (12/31/2014): l Equity l Fixed Income l Alternatives4 l Other5 Total $ 34,180.7 16,681.6 5,372.4 467.7 $56,702.4 1 Certain supplemental performance measures are provided in addition to, but not as a substitute for, performance measures determined in accordance with GAAP. These supplemental measures may not be comparable to non-GAAP performance measures of other companies. “Operating Income, as Adjusted” and “Operating Margin, as Adjusted” are supplemental non-GAAP measures that net the distribution and administration expenses against the related revenue and remove certain non-cash and other identified amounts. For our definition of these terms, as well as a reconciliation to GAAP measures, see “Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Expenses and Operating Income on a GAAP Basis to Revenues, Operating Expenses and Operating Income, as Adjusted” in the Supplemental Financial Information, included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. 2 Represents assets under management excluding cash management strategies 3 Includes assets under management related to options strategies 4 Consists of long/short equity, real estate, master-limited partnerships, and other 5 Consists of option strategies This report may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which, by their nature, are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. intends for these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws relating to forward-looking statements. For a further discussion, see “Forward-Looking Statements” on page 19 of the attached Form 10-K. MESSAGE TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Fellow Shareholders, COORDinATED CAp AbiLiTiES SinGuLAR fOCuS Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. Our multi-style, multi- manager approach gives advisors and their clients unique access to a broad array of investment capabilities from a dynamic group of affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with distinct investment style, autonomous investment process and individual brand. The combined strength and disciplined, institutional-quality strategies of our investment partners offer solutions that meet a wide variety of investor needs. Our accomplishments in 2014 – and the progress that we made toward the five strategic priorities that guide the company – were broad-based and substantial: > We achieved strong financial results in key metrics, including higher operating income, as adjusted, and earnings per share, as a result of growth in revenues and assets under management. > We expanded our investment capabilities by introducing distinctive new products, including a suite of liquid alternative funds, and focused our distribution resources to further support the financial advisors who sell our products. > We increased assets under management modestly, notwithstanding the decrease in sales and flows. > We maintained a strong balance sheet that provides significant operating flexibility to position the company for future growth while returning appropriate levels of capital to shareholders. Strategic Priorities > Maintain a highly differentiated set of quality investment strategies in a variety of product structures from disciplined boutique managers > Enhance our distribution capabilities to increase market share in existing channels and develop opportunities in new channels > Enhance and align shared business support services to maximize the leveragability of the business George R. Aylward President and Chief Executive Officer Mark C. Treanor Chairman Board of Directors > Attract and retain the right talent and individual capabilities to support the growth and success of the business > Optimize the business model and capital structure to best position the firm for continued growth [1] MESSAGE TO SHAREHOLDERS Financial Results In 2014 we achieved significant growth in operating income, as adjusted, and earnings per share. Revenue increased by 16 percent to $450.6 million from $389.2 million in 2013 as a result of the 13 percent increase in average long-term assets under management. Operating income, as adjusted – the non-GAAP performance measure that we believe best illustrates the Investment Capabilities ongoing earnings of the company – was $162.8 million A commitment to providing investors with a well- for 2014, a 24 percent increase from $131.0 million in diversified array of distinctive investment strategies to 2013. The related margin increased to 48 percent from address individual preferences and help navigate 45 percent. The comparable GAAP metric, operating income, increased 15 percent to $130.7 million from $113.5 million in 2013, with a related margin that was unchanged at 29 percent.1 Net income attributable to common shareholders was $97.7 million or $10.51 per share, an increase of 30 percent from $75.2 million or $8.92 per share in 2013. changing market cycles is fundamental to our value proposition, and during 2014 we introduced several new capabilities: > The Virtus Alternative Total Solution Fund, Virtus Alternative Inflation Solution Fund and Virtus Alternative Income Solution Fund are multi-manager, multi-strategy open-end mutual funds managed by Virtus – S&P 500® – Peer Companies2 Change from 1/2/09 Open to 12/31/14 Close l VRTS l Peers l S&P 500 l 1794% 2340% 1740% 1140% 540% -60% [2] l 167% l 128% 1/2/09 4/2/10 2/2/11 05/2/12/12 3/2/13 11/2/14 1 The reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures is included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. 2 The list of peer asset management companies is included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. Cliffwater Investments, a new majority-owned affiliate that Strong relative performance remains important to our is our joint venture with a leading institutional alternatives product offerings. Twenty-eight of our 34 rated mutual consultant. These “liquid alternative” funds offer funds – representing 79 percent of open-end mutual individual investors access to the hedge and alternative fund assets – were in 5-, 4-, and 3-star Morningstar-rated strategies that institutional investors have used for years funds (on a load-waived basis) at year-end, with highly to buffer their portfolios from the unpredictability of the rated funds across all asset classes. On the strength of financial markets. An education platform for financial our Emerging Markets Opportunities and Foreign advisors that takes advantage of the experience and Opportunities funds, Virtus was ranked by Lipper as a top broad reach of our distribution team supported the mutual fund family in the World Equity category of introduction of the funds. Barron’s annual survey of fund companies for the second time in the past four years.3 > Virtus Strategic Income Fund, which leverages the broad multi-sector fixed-income capabilities of our Newfleet Asset Management affiliate, seeks opportunities Distribution across undervalued sectors of the bond market. > Virtus International Wealth Masters Fund invests in companies managed by individuals who have a Long-term assets under management, which exclude money market assets, increased by 1 percent to $56.7 billion at December 31, 2014 from $56.2 billion substantial amount of their personal wealth invested in at December 31, 2013, despite lower sales and weaker the business and mirrors the successful Virtus Wealth flows. Mutual fund assets under management ended Masters Fund, also managed by Horizon Asset 2014 at $36.3 billion, compared with $36.4 billion at Management. > Duff & Phelps Select Energy MLP Fund (NYSE: DSE), our ninth closed-end fund, raised $485 million in its December 31, 2013. Closed-end fund assets under management grew by 17 percent to $7.6 billion at December 31, 2014 from $6.5 billion at December 31, 2013. initial public offering. Managed by Duff & Phelps After multiple years of consistent growth in mutual fund Investment Management, DSE gives clients tax-efficient and total sales and net flows, we were disappointed with exposure to the growing U.S. energy economy. 2014 flows. These results were below expectations and > We broadened distribution opportunities by adding institutional share classes to 10 open-end mutual funds primarily due to elevated mutual fund redemptions for certain downside-protection and long/short equity strategies. Total sales were $15.2 billion with net flows for the defined contribution market and opening the of $(1.2) billion, compared with $21.3 billion and $8.1 Virtus GF Multi-Sector Short-Duration Bond Fund, the billion, respectively, in 2013. Long-term open-end mutual first fund on our collective investment platform for fund sales were $12.7 billion with net flows of $(0.5) non-U.S. clients. billion, compared with $19.1 billion in sales and $8.1 billion in net flows in 2013. 1 The reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures is included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. 2 The list of peer asset management companies is included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. 3 Additional information about fund performance is included as an attachment to this annual report after the Form 10-K. [3] Capital and Balance Sheet that are focused on infrastructure and technology projects aimed at meeting the world’s growing need for Consistently strong financial performance – including five water, food, and energy. We developed a new relationship consecutive years of growth in operating income, as adjusted – has strengthened our balance sheet, increased our financial flexibility, allowed us to invest in the business, and supported our goal of providing a meaningful return to our shareholders. with Aviva Investors, which will manage a global tactical asset allocation mutual fund. We made a majority investment in ETF Issuer Solutions, an early-stage company that operates a platform for listing, operating, and distributing exchange-traded funds. > We ended 2014 with cash and investments of $469.5 million or the equivalent of $52.31 per share, an increase of 18 percent from $398.4 million or $43.75 per share at As we look toward 2015 and beyond, we believe Virtus is well positioned with distinctive products from our boutique asset management partners. We remain the end of 2013. We have no outstanding debt and $75 intensely focused on delivering on our commitment to million of unused capacity on our credit facility. provide suitable investment solutions that are the building blocks of a well-diversified investment portfolio. We appreciate the trust and confidence our clients have placed in Virtus and we look forward to continuing to serve the needs of financial advisors and their clients while delivering long-term value to our shareholders. On behalf of the entire board, management team and staff at Virtus, we thank you for your investment in our company. Sincerely, George R. Aylward President and Chief Executive Officer Mark C. Treanor Chairman > Our seed capital portfolio grew to $238.1 million from $123.6 million at the end of 2013. We invested $130.0 million in the three alternative funds, $30.0 million in fixed income strategies, and $5.0 million in International Wealth Masters, among new strategies funded in 2014, and recycled $52.7 million from successful strategies. > We initiated a $0.45 per share quarterly cash dividend, and continued our share repurchase and net share settlement programs, which combined to return $61.7 million to shareholders – an increase of 127 percent over 2013. Positioning for the Future Our diversified product offerings, advisor-focused distribution approach, strong financial position, and flexible business model give us the ability to build on our recent accomplishments to sustain our success. We began 2015 by further enhancing investment capabilities. We introduced the Virtus Essential Resources Fund, managed by Kleinwort Benson Investors International, which invests in companies [4] bOARD Of DiRECTORS From left: Timothy A. Holt, Edward M. Swan, Jr., Melody L. Jones, Stephen T. Zarrilli, George R. Aylward, Mark C. Treanor, James R. Baio, Susan S. Fleming, Russel C. Robertson, Diane M. Coffey George R. Aylward President and Chief Executive Officer Virtus Investment Partners Melody L. Jones 2 Chief Administrative Officer CEB James R. Baio 1,2 Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Executive Vice President (Retired) Franklin Templeton Investments Diane M. Coffey 2,3 Managing Director and Partner Peter J. Solomon Company, Ltd. Susan S. Fleming, Ph.D. 3,4 Consultant and Executive Educator Timothy A. Holt 1,4 Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer (Retired) Aetna, Inc. Russel C. Robertson Executive Vice President and Head, Anti-Money Laundering BMO Financial Group Edward M. Swan, Jr. 1,4 President (Retired) FIS Group Mark C. Treanor 2,3 Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Senior Partner (Retired) Treanor Pope & Hughes Stephen T. Zarrilli 1 President and Chief Executive Officer Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. Board Committees 1 Audit 2 Compensation 3 Governance 4 Risk and Finance [5] pRinCipAL CORpORATE OffiCERS From left: Barry M. Mandinach, W. Patrick Bradley, Francis G. Waltman, George R. Aylward, Mardelle W. Peña, Mark S. Flynn, Michael A. Angerthal George R. Aylward President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Michael A. Angerthal Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer W. Patrick Bradley Senior Vice President Fund Services Mark S. Flynn Executive Vice President General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Barry M. Mandinach Executive Vice President Head of Distribution Mardelle W. Peña Senior Vice President Human Resources Francis G. Waltman Executive Vice President Head of Product Management [6] SHAREHOLDER infORMATiOn Security Listing The common stock of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “VRTS.” Transfer Agent and Registrar For information or assistance regarding your account, please contact our transfer agent and registrar: Virtus Investment Partners c/o Computershare Investor Services P.O. Box 43078 Providence, RI 02940 Toll-free (within U.S.): 866-205-7273 Foreign Shareowners: 413-775-6091 TDD for Foreign Shareowners: 781-575-2300 Web Site: www.computershare.com/investor E-mail: investor.relations@virtus.com Annual Meeting of Shareholders All shareholders are invited to attend the annual meeting of Virtus Investment Partners on Thursday, May 28, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. EDT at 100 Pearl Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford, CT. For More Information To receive additional information about Virtus Investment Partners and access to other shareholder services, visit Investor Relations in the “About Us” section of our Web site at www.virtus.com, or contact us at: Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. Investor Relations 100 Pearl Street Hartford, CT 06103 Telephone: 800-248-7971 (Option 2) Fax: 413-774-1714 e-mail: investor.relations@virtus.com Affiliated Companies Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. 200 S. Wacker Drive Suite 500 Chicago, IL 60606 312-263-2610 Cliffwater Investments LLC 100 Pearl Street Hartford, CT 06103 860-263-4707 Euclid Advisors LLC 1540 Broadway Suite 1600 New York, NY 10036 646-376-5913 Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC 1800 Avenue of the Stars Second Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067 800-231-7414 Newfleet Asset Management, LLC 100 Pearl Street Hartford, CT 06103 860-760-5828 Newfound Investments, LLC 100 Pearl Street Hartford, CT 06103 860-263-4707 Rampart Investment Management Co., Inc. One International Place Boston, MA 02110 617-342-6900 Zweig Advisers LLC 1540 Broadway New York, NY 10036 800-272-2700 For more information on the Virtus Mutual Funds or other products, call your financial representative or visit our Web site at www.virtus.com. V I R T U S I N V E S T M E N T P A R T N E R S 2 0 1 4 A N N U A L R E P O R T VIRTUS_0007_Cover_2015_041715R.indd 1 4/17/15 1:08 PM COORDINATED CAPABILITIES SINGULAR FOCUS 2014 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 FORM 10-K UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K È ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 or ‘ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission file number 1-10994 VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) 95-4191764 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 100 Pearl St., Hartford, CT 06103 (Address of principal executive offices) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (800) 248-7971 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Common Stock, $.01 par value (including attached Preferred Share Purchase Rights) Name of each exchange on which registered The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None (Title of class) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. È Yes ‘ No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. ‘ Yes È No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. È Yes ‘ No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). È Yes ‘ No Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ‘ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer È Non-accelerated filer ‘ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) ‘ Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company ‘ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). ‘ Yes È No The aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold (based on the closing share price as quoted on the NASDAQ Global Market) as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $1,535,144,421. For purposes of this calculation, shares of common stock held or controlled by executive officers and directors of the registrant have been treated as shares held by affiliates. There were 8,977,784 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding on February 12, 2015. DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement which will be filed with the SEC in connection with the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K. Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014 PART I Item 1. Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 1A. Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 2. Legal Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 3. Mine Safety Disclosures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 4. PART II Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selected Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 6. Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations . . . . Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 8. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure . . . . Item 9. Item 9A. Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 9B. Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 11. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Item 12. Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Principal Accounting Fees and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Item 13. Item 14. PART IV Page 1 11 19 19 19 20 21 23 24 43 43 43 43 45 46 46 46 47 47 Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 “We,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and “Virtus” as used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”), refer to Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries. PART I Item 1. Business. Organization Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (the “Company”) commenced operations on November 1, 1995 through a reverse merger with Duff & Phelps Corporation. The Company was a majority-owned subsidiary of The Phoenix Companies, Inc. (“PNX”) from 1995 to 2001 and a wholly-owned subsidiary of PNX from 2001 until 2008. On December 31, 2008, PNX distributed 100% of Virtus common stock to PNX stockholders in a spin-off transaction. Our Business We are a provider of investment management and related services to individuals and institutions. We use a multi-manager, multi-style approach, offering investment strategies from affiliated managers and select unaffiliated subadvisors, each having its own distinct investment style, autonomous investment process and individual brand. By offering a broad array of products, we believe we can appeal to a greater number of investors, which allows us to have opportunities across market cycles and through changes in investor preferences. We provide our products in a number of forms and through multiple distribution channels. Our retail products include open-end mutual funds, closed-end funds, variable insurance funds and separately managed accounts. Our open-end mutual funds are distributed through intermediaries. Our closed-end funds trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Our variable insurance funds are available as investment options in variable annuities and life insurance products distributed by life insurance companies. Separately managed accounts are comprised of intermediary programs, sponsored and distributed by unaffiliated brokerage firms, and private client accounts, which are offered to the high net-worth clients of our affiliated managers. We also manage institutional accounts for corporations, multi-employer retirement funds, public employee retirement systems, foundations, endowments and as a subadviser to unaffiliated mutual funds. Our earnings are primarily driven by asset-based fees charged for services relating to these products including investment management, fund administration, distribution and shareholder services. These fees are based on a percentage of assets under management (“AUM”) and are calculated using daily or weekly average assets, quarter-end assets or average month-end assets. Our Investment Managers Our investment management services are provided by investment managers who are registered investment advisers under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Advisers Act”). The investment managers are responsible for portfolio management activities for our retail and institutional products operating under advisory or subadvisory agreements. We provide our affiliated managers with distribution, operational and administrative support, thereby allowing each affiliated manager to focus primarily on investment management. We also engage select unaffiliated subadvisers for certain of our open-end mutual funds, separately managed accounts and variable insurance funds. At December 31, 2014, $21.6 billion or 38.1% of our assets under management were managed by unaffiliated subadvisers. We monitor the quality of our managers’ services by assessing their performance, style, consistency and the discipline with which they apply their investment process. 1 Our affiliated investment managers and their respective assets under management, styles and strategies are as follows: Duff & Phelps Investment Management Newfleet Asset Management Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management Zweig/Euclid Advisors Rampart Investment Management Newfound Investments Cliffwater Investments Affiliated Managers AUM at December 31, 2014 ($ in billions) $10.8 $12.5 $9.3 $1.7 $0.6 $ — $0.2 Location Chicago, IL Hartford, CT Los Angeles, CA New York, NY Boston, MA Hartford, CT Hartford, CT Investment Style Quality-oriented, equity income; high quality fixed income Multi-sector, value-driven fixed income Quality at a reasonable price Growth at a reasonable price, high quality fixed income Systematic, disciplined options solutions Quantitative, tactical model driven portfolios Multi-manager alternative portfolios Investment Types Equities • Utilities Fixed Income • Tax Advantaged • High Grade Core • Municipals • Multi-sector • Core • Core Plus • Bank Loans • High Yield • Municipals • Emerging Markets • Large, Mid & Small Cap Core/ Growth/ Value • Large Cap Core • Tactical Asset Allocation • Large Cap Core • Low Volatility • Domestic and International • International & • International Emerging Markets Small-Cap • California Municipals • U.S. Government Grade Agencies • Core Plus • Intermediate Total Return & Government • Investment Grade Corporates • Sovereign Alternative/Other • REITs • Infrastructure • MLPs • Options Strategies • Multi-Strategy Products Open-End Mutual Funds Closed-End Funds Variable Insurance Funds Separately Managed Accounts Institutional ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2 Our Investment Products Our assets under management are comprised of open-end mutual funds, closed-end funds, variable insurance funds, separately managed accounts (intermediary sponsored and private client) and institutional accounts (traditional institutional mandates and structured products). Assets Under Management by Product as of December 31, 2014 ($ in billions) Retail Products Mutual fund assets Open-end mutual funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed-end funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total mutual fund assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Separately managed accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Variable insurance funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total retail assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total institutional assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total AUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36.3 7.6 43.9 6.9 1.2 52.0 4.7 $56.7 3 Open-End Mutual Funds As of December 31, 2014, we managed 49 U.S. domiciled open-end mutual funds with total assets of $36.3 billion. Our U.S. domiciled, open-end mutual funds are offered in a variety of asset classes (equity, fixed income, asset allocation and alternative investments), in all market capitalizations (large, mid and small), in different styles (growth, blend and value) and with various investment approaches (fundamental, quantitative and thematic). In 2013, we established an Ireland domiciled fund platform under the European Union framework for Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (“UCITS”), which we refer to as the Global Funds, to offer select investment strategies to non-US investors. At December 31, 2014, assets under management in these open-end funds were $23.6 million. Our open-end mutual funds as of December 31, 2014 were as follows: Fund Type/Name Inception Assets Advisory Fee (1) 3-Year Average Return (2) ($ in millions) (%) (%) Alternatives Virtus Dynamic Alpha-Sector Fund (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Real Estate Securities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Dividend Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Alternative Total Solution Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Real Estate Securities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Alternative Income Solution Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus International Real Estate Securities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Alternative Inflation Solution Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Herzfeld Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Commodities Stock Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Alternative Diversifier (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Asset Allocation Virtus Allocator Premium AlphaSector™ Fund (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Balanced Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Equity Virtus Premium AlphaSector™ Fund (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus AlphaSector™ Rotation Fund (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Contrarian Value Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Strategic Growth Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Growth & Income Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Wealth Masters Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Quality Large-Cap Value Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Low Volatility Equity Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Disciplined Equity Style Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed Income Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Senior Floating Rate Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Low Duration Income Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Tax-Exempt Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus High Yield Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus CA Tax-Exempt Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Emerging Markets Debt Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Strategic Income Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Disciplined Select Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1998 1995 2004 2014 2009 2014 2007 2014 2012 2011 2005 2011 1975 1940 2010 2003 1997 1995 2002 2006 1997 2012 2006 1975 2005 2009 2013 2012 1992 2008 1989 1999 2001 1980 1998 1983 2012 2014 2012 $1,896.7 1,664.9 168.1 75.3 66.8 41.5 40.1 32.4 24.5 10.9 — 680.9 587.6 188.9 6,187.2 988.7 466.8 437.7 374.4 266.8 159.4 145.9 119.0 89.2 87.3 8.1 4.8 2.4 8,711.4 796.4 361.7 218.9 196.8 85.1 76.2 34.3 28.1 24.4 1.5 1.50-1.40 0.75-0.65 0.65-0.55 1.95-1.90 0.85-0.75 1.80-1.75 1.00-0.90 1.75-1.70 1.00-0.95 1.00-0.90 — 1.10-1.00 0.55-0.45 0.70-0.60 1.10 0.45-0.40 0.75-0.70 0.70-0.60 0.75 0.70 0.75-0.65 0.85-0.80 0.90-0.80 0.80-0.70 0.75-0.65 0.80-0.70 0.95-0.85 1.00-0.90 0.55-0.45 0.60-0.50 0.55-0.45 0.55-0.45 0.45 0.65-0.55 0.45-0.40 0.45-0.35 0.75-.0.70 0.80-0.75 0.80-0.70 12.41 15.31 12.29 n/a 15.49 n/a 15.02 n/a n/a (5.72) 4.43 5.51 10.64 11.32 13.40 16.89 16.26 17.71 15.12 15.51 18.48 n/a 17.45 14.28 17.31 19.14 n/a n/a 4.17 5.07 6.09 3.15 4.09 8.02 4.06 5.12 n/a n/a n/a Fund Type/Name Inception Assets Advisory Fee (1) 3-Year Average Return (2) International/Global Virtus Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Foreign Opportunities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector™ Fund (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Opportunities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus International Small-Cap Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Greater European Opportunities Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus International Equity Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus International Wealth Masters Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Disciplined Select Country Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Global Funds Virtus GF Multi-Sector Short Duration Bond Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus GF U.S. Small Cap Focus Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1999 1990 2011 1960 2012 2012 2009 2010 2013 2014 2012 2013 2014 ($ in millions) (%) (%) 8,557.9 1,892.3 182.2 133.6 77.3 37.1 15.6 10.3 5.0 4.9 1.4 1.00-0.95 0.85-0.75 1.10-1.00 0.85-0.75 1.05-1.00 1.00-0.95 0.85-0.80 0.85-0.75 1.20-1.15 0.90-0.85 1.10-1.00 20.0 3.6 1.75-0.55 2.15-0.80 $36,292.3 5.83 9.24 7.53 13.76 n/a n/a 10.45 8.66 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (1) Percentage of average daily net assets of each fund. The percentages listed represent the range of management advisory fees paid by the funds, from the highest to the lowest. A range indicates that the fund has breakpoints at which management advisory fees decrease as assets in the funds increase. We pay subadvisory fees on funds managed by unaffiliated subadvisers, which are not reflected in the percentages listed. (2) Represents average annual total return performance of the largest share class as measured by net assets for which performance data is available. (3) This fund invests in other Virtus open-end mutual funds and/or unaffiliated exchange traded funds. The related assets invested in other Virtus open-end mutual funds are reflected only in the balances of the respective funds. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. 5 Closed-End Funds We managed nine closed-end funds as of December 31, 2014, each of which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, with aggregate assets of $7.6 billion. Closed-end funds do not continually offer to sell and redeem their shares; rather, daily liquidity is provided by the ability to trade the shares of these funds at prices that may be above or below the shares’ net asset value. Our closed-end funds as of December 31, 2014 are as follows: Fund Type/Name Balanced Assets Advisory Fee ($ in billions) % DNP Select Income Fund Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zweig Total Return Fund Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Total Return Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Equity Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zweig Fund Inc. Alternatives Duff & Phelps Select Energy MLP Fund . . . . . . . Fixed Income Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund . . . . . . . DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Closed-End Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.8 0.5 0.2 1.2 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.2 $7.6 0.60-0.50 (1) 0.70(2) 0.85(2) 1.00(2)(3) 0.85(2) 1.00(2) 0.50(1) 0.95(2) 0.50(1) (1) Percentage of average weekly net assets. The percentage listed represents the range of management advisory fees paid by the funds, from the highest to the lowest. A range indicates that the fund has breakpoints at which management advisory fees decrease as assets in the fund increase. (2) Percentage of average daily net assets of each fund. (3) The adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its fee for a period of time, which is not reflected in the percentage listed. Separately Managed Accounts Separately managed accounts are individually owned portfolios that include intermediary sponsored programs, whereby an intermediary assists individuals in hiring investment managers that have been approved by the broker-dealer to fulfill those objectives and private client accounts that are accounts of high net-worth individuals who are direct clients of our affiliated managers. Separately managed account assets totaled $6.9 billion at December 31, 2014. Variable Insurance Funds Our variable insurance funds are available as investment options in variable annuities and life insurance products distributed by life insurance companies. 6 Our variable insurance funds as of December 31, 2014 were as follows: Fund Type/Name Equity Assets Advisory Fee (1) ($ in billions) % Virtus International Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Capital Growth Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Growth and Income Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Small-Cap Growth Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Real Estate Securities Series . . . . . . . . . . . . Virtus Small-Cap Value Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed Income Virtus Multi-Sector Fixed Income Series . . . . . . . Asset Allocation Virtus Strategic Allocation Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Variable Insurance Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 $1.2 0.75-0.65 0.70-0.60 0.70-0.60 0.85 0.75-0.65 0.90 0.50-0.40 0.60-0.50 (1) Percentage of average daily net assets of each fund. The percentage listed represents the range of management advisory fees paid by the funds, from the highest to the lowest. A range indicates that the fund has breakpoints at which management advisory fees decrease as assets in the fund increase. Subadvisory fees paid on funds managed by unaffiliated subadvisers are not reflected in the percentages listed. Institutional Accounts We offer a variety of equity and fixed income strategies to institutional clients, including corporations, multi-employer retirement funds, public employee retirement systems, foundations, endowments and as a subadviser to unaffiliated mutual funds. Our institutional assets under management totaled $4.7 billion as of December 31, 2014. Our Investment Management, Administration and Transfer Agent Fees Our investment management fees, administration fees and transfer agent fees earned in each of the last three years were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2014 2013 2012 ($ in thousands) Investment management fees: Open-end mutual funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed-end funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Variable insurance funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Separately managed accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Institutional accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total investment management fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administration fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transfer agent fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $196,221 46,659 6,475 35,152 16,156 300,663 39,374 16,642 $166,596 39,921 7,347 31,510 15,183 260,557 33,736 14,449 $109,327 35,361 6,388 23,245 13,554 187,875 23,646 10,133 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $356,679 $308,742 $221,654 Investment Management Fees We provide investment management services pursuant to investment management agreements through our affiliated investment advisers (each, an “Adviser”). With respect to our open-end mutual funds, closed-end funds and variable insurance funds, the Adviser provides overall management services to a fund, subject to supervision 7 by the fund’s board of directors, pursuant to agreements that must be approved annually by each fund’s board of directors and which may be terminated by either party upon written notice, or automatically, in certain situations, such as a “change in control” of the Adviser. We earn fees based on each fund’s average daily or weekly net assets with most fee schedules providing for rate declines or “breakpoints” as asset levels increase to certain thresholds. For funds managed by a subadviser, the agreement provides that the subadviser manage the day-to- day investment management of the fund’s portfolio and receive a management fee from the Adviser based on the percentage of average daily net assets in the funds they subadvise or a percentage of the Adviser’s management fee. Each fund bears all expenses associated with its operations. In some cases, to the extent total fund expenses exceed a specified percentage of a fund’s average net assets, the Adviser has agreed to reimburse the funds for such excess expenses or voluntarily waive a portion of its fee for a period of time. For separately managed accounts and institutional accounts, fees are negotiated and are based primarily on asset size, portfolio complexity and individual client requests. Administration Fees We provide fund administration services to our open-end mutual funds, variable insurance funds and certain of our closed-end funds. We earn fees based on each fund’s average daily or weekly net assets. Administrative services include recordkeeping, preparing and filing documents required to comply with federal and state securities laws, legal administration and compliance services, supervising the activities of the funds’ other service providers, providing assistance with fund shareholder meetings, tax services and treasury services as well as providing office space, equipment and personnel that may be necessary for managing and administering the business affairs of the funds. Transfer Agent Fees We provide shareholder services to our open-end mutual funds. We earn fees based on each fund’s average daily net assets. Shareholder services include maintaining shareholder accounts, processing shareholder transactions, preparing filings and performing necessary reporting, among other things. We engage third-party service providers to perform certain aspects of the shareholder services. Our Distribution Services We distribute our open-end mutual funds through financial intermediaries. We have broad access in the retail market, with distribution partners that include national and regional broker-dealers and independent financial advisory firms. Our sales efforts are supported by regional sales professionals, a national account relationship group and separate teams for the retirement and insurance markets. Our separately managed accounts are distributed through financial intermediaries and directly by teams at our affiliated managers. Our institutional distribution strategy is an affiliate-centric model. Through relationships with consultants, they target key market segments, including foundations and endowments, corporate, public and private pension plans and subadvisory accounts. Our Broker-Dealer Services VP Distributors, LLC (“VPD”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). VPD serves as principal underwriter and distributor of our open-end mutual funds and our separately managed accounts. Open-end mutual fund shares are distributed by VPD under sales agreements with unaffiliated financial intermediaries. VPD also markets advisory services to sponsors of separately managed account programs. 8 Our Competition We face significant competition from a wide variety of financial institutions, including other investment management companies, as well as from proprietary products offered by our distribution partners such as banks, broker-dealers and financial planning firms. Competition in our businesses is based on several factors including investment performance, access to distribution channels, service to financial advisers and their clients and fees charged. Our competitors, many of which are larger than we are, often offer similar products, use similar distribution sources, may offer less expensive products, may have greater access to key distribution channels and may have greater resources than we do. Our Regulatory Matters We are subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), FINRA and other federal and state agencies and self-regulatory organizations. Each affiliated manager and unaffiliated subadviser is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act. Each open-end mutual fund, closed-end fund and each series of our variable insurance fund is registered with the SEC under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Our Global Funds are subject to regulation by the Central Bank of Ireland (“CBI”). The Global Funds and each investment manager and sub-investment manager to the Global Funds are registered with the CBI. The financial services industry is highly regulated and failure to comply with related laws and regulations can result in the revocation of registrations, the imposition of censures or fines and the suspension or expulsion of a firm and/or its employees from the industry. All of our U.S.-domiciled open-end mutual funds are currently available for sale and are qualified in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our Global Funds are sold through financial intermediaries to investors who are not citizens of or residents of the United States. Most aspects of our investment management business, including the business of the unaffiliated subadvisers, are subject to various U.S. federal and state laws and regulations. Our officers, directors and employees may, from time to time, own securities that are also held by one or more of our funds. Our internal policies with respect to personal investments are established pursuant to the provisions of the Investment Company Act and/or the Investment Advisers Act. Employees, officers and directors who, in the function of their responsibilities to us, meet the requirements of the Investment Company Act, Investment Advisers Act and/or of FINRA regulations, must disclose personal securities holdings and trading activity. Those employees, officers and directors with investment discretion or access to investment decisions are subject to additional restrictions with respect to the pre-clearance of the purchase or sale of securities over which they have investment discretion or beneficial interest. Other restrictions are imposed upon supervised persons with respect to personal transactions in securities held, recently sold or contemplated for purchase by our mutual funds. All supervised persons are required to report holdings and transactions on an annual and quarterly basis pursuant to the provisions of the Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act. In addition, certain transactions are restricted so as to seek to avoid the possibility of improper use of information relating to the management of client accounts. Our Employees As of December 31, 2014, we had 410 full time equivalent employees. None of our employees are represented by a union. Available Information Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as proxy statements, will be available free of charge on our website located at www.virtus.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. You may also read and copy any 9 document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including our filings, are also available to the public on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. A copy of our Corporate Governance Principles, our Code of Conduct and the charters of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Governance Committee and Risk and Finance Committee are posted on our website, www.virtus.com, under “About Us,” “Investor Relations,” “Corporate Governance” and are available in print to any person who requests copies by contacting Investor Relations by email to: investor.relations@virtus.com or by mail to Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., c/o Investor Relations, 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103. Information contained on the website is not incorporated by reference or otherwise considered part of this document. 10 Item 1A. Risk Factors This section describes some of the potential risks relating to our business, such as market, liquidity, operational, reputation and regulatory. The risks described below are some of the more important factors that could affect our business. You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in evaluating the Company and our common stock. If any of the risks described below actually occur our business, revenues, profitability, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, reputation and stock price could be materially adversely affected. We earn substantially all of our revenues based on assets under management, and therefore a reduction in assets under management would reduce our revenues and profitability. Assets under management fluctuate based on many factors including market conditions, investment performance and client withdrawals. The majority of our revenues are generated from asset-based fees from investment management products and services to individuals and institutions. Therefore, if the assets under management decline, our fee revenues decline reducing profitability as some of our expenses are fixed. There are several reasons that assets under management could decline as discussed below: • The value of assets under management can decline due to price declines in specific securities or in specific market segments or geographic areas where those assets are invested. Funds and portfolios that we manage related to certain geographic markets and industry sectors are particularly vulnerable to political, social and economic events in those markets and sectors. If these industries or markets decline or experience volatility, this could have a negative impact on our assets under management and our revenues. For example, certain non-U.S. markets, particularly emerging markets, are not as developed or as efficient as the U.S. financial markets and, as a result, may be less liquid, less regulated and significantly more volatile than the U.S. financial markets. Liquidity in such markets may be adversely impacted by political or economic events, government policies, expropriation, volume trading limits by foreign investors and social or civil unrest. These factors may negatively impact our ability to dispose of an investment and its market value. In addition, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to non-U.S. currencies could result in a decrease in the U.S. dollar value of assets under management that are denominated in non-U.S. currencies. • The performance of our investment strategies is critical to the maintenance and growth of assets under management. Net flows related to our investment strategies can be affected by investment performance relative to other competing investment strategies or to established benchmarks. Investment management strategies are rated, ranked or assessed by independent third-parties, distribution partners, and industry periodicals and services. These assessments often influence the investment decisions of our clients. If the performance or assessment of our investment strategies is seen as underperforming relative to peers, it could result in an increase in the withdrawal of assets by existing clients and the inability to attract additional investments from existing and new clients. In addition, certain of our investment strategies have capacity constraints, as there is a limit to the number of securities available for the strategy to operate effectively. In those instances, we may choose to limit access to new or existing investors. • General domestic and global economic and political conditions throughout the world can influence assets under management. Changes in interest rates, the availability and cost of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws, trade barriers, commodity prices, currency exchange rates and controls and national and international political circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts and security operations) and other conditions may impact the equity and credit markets which may influence our assets under management. In recent years, capital and credit markets have experienced substantial volatility. While there has been some recovery in the capital markets since then, high unemployment rates in the United States and elsewhere, a sluggish recovery in some real estate markets, continued economic weakness in the Eurozone, increased austerity measures by several European governments, uncertainty about the future of the euro, escalating regional turmoil in the 11 Middle East, concern over growth prospects in China and emerging markets, growing debt loads for certain countries and uncertainty about the consequences of governments eventually withdrawing monetary stimulus all indicate that economic and political conditions remain unpredictable. If the security markets decline or experience volatility, our assets under management and our revenues could be negatively impacted. In addition, the volatility in the markets in the recent past has highlighted the interconnection of the global markets and demonstrated how the deteriorating financial condition of one institution may materially adversely impact the performance of other institutions. Our assets under management have exposure to many different industries and counterparties and may be exposed to credit, operational or other risk due to the default by a counterparty or client or in the event of a market failure or disruption or otherwise. In the event of extreme circumstances, including economic, political or business crises, such as a widespread systemic failure in the global financial system or failures of firms that have significant obligations as counterparties, we may suffer significant declines in assets under management and severe liquidity or valuation issues. Moreover, a significant amount of our assets under management are in investments represented by strategies that primarily invest in securities in non-U.S. companies. Many non-U.S. financial markets are not as developed or as efficient as the U.S. financial markets and, as a result, have limited liquidity and greater price volatility and may lack established regulations. Liquidity in such markets also may be adversely impacted by political or economic events, government policies, expropriation, volume trading limits by foreign investors and social and civil unrest. An investment’s market value or the ability to dispose of an investment may be adversely impacted by any of these factors. Governments of foreign jurisdictions may assert their abilities to tax local gains and/or income of foreign investors, including our clients, which could adversely impact the economics associated with investing in foreign jurisdictions or non-U.S. based companies. These risks also could impact the performance of our strategies that invest in such markets and, in particular, strategies that concentrate investments in emerging market companies and countries. • Changes in interest rates can have adverse effects on our assets under management. Increases in interest rates from their historically low present levels may adversely affect the net asset values of our assets under management. Furthermore, increases in interest rates may result in reduced prices in equity markets. Conversely, decreases in interest rates could lead to outflows in fixed income assets that we manage as investors seek higher yields. Any of these effects could lower our assets under management and revenues and, if our revenues decline without a commensurate reduction in our expenses, would lead to a reduction in our net income. Any of these factors could cause our assets under management to decline and have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Our investment advisory agreements are subject to withdrawal, renegotiation or termination on short notice. Our clients include the boards of directors for our sponsored mutual funds, managed account program sponsors, private clients and institutional clients. Our investment management agreements with these clients may be terminated upon short notice without penalty. As a result, there would be little impediment to these sponsors or clients terminating our agreements. Our clients may terminate or renegotiate their investment contracts with us or reduce the aggregate amount of assets under management with us due to a number of reasons including investment performance, reputational, regulatory or compliance issues, loss of key investment management or other personnel or a change in management or control of clients, third-party distributors, subadvisers or others with whom we have relationships. The directors of our sponsored funds may deem it to be in the best interests of a fund’s shareholders to make decisions adverse to us, such as reducing the compensation paid to us, requesting that we subsidize fund expenses over certain thresholds, or imposing restrictions on our management of the fund. Under the Investment Company Act, investment advisory agreements automatically terminate in the event of an 12 assignment, which may occur if, among other events, the Company undergoes a change in control, such as any person acquiring 25% voting rights of our common stock. If an assignment were to occur, we could continue to act as adviser to a fund only if that fund’s board of directors and its stockholders approved a new investment advisory agreement. In addition, investment advisory agreements for the separate accounts we manage may not be assigned without the consent of the client. If an assignment occurs, we cannot be certain that the Company will be able to obtain the necessary fund approvals or the necessary consents from our clients. The withdrawal, renegotiation or termination of any investment management contract relating to a material portion of assets under management would have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Any damage to our reputation could harm our business and lead to a reduction in our revenues and profitability. Maintaining a strong reputation with the investment community is critical to our success. Our reputation is vulnerable to many threats that can be difficult or impossible to control, and costly or impossible to remediate even if they are without merit or satisfactorily addressed. Our reputation may be impacted by many factors, including but not limited to: poor performance; litigation; conflicts of interests; regulatory inquiries, investigations or findings; intentional or unintentional misrepresentation of our products or services; or employee misconduct or rumors. Any damage to our reputation could impede our ability to attract and retain clients and key personnel, adversely impact relationships with third-party distributors and other business partners and lead to a reduction in the amount of our assets under management, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. We manage client assets under agreements that have established investment guidelines or other contractual requirements, and any failure to comply could result in claims, losses or regulatory sanctions, which could negatively impact our revenues and profitability. The agreements under which we manage client assets often have established investment guidelines or other contractual requirements that we are required to comply with in providing our investment management services. Although we maintain various compliance procedures and other controls to prevent, detect, and correct such errors, any failure or allegation of a failure to comply with these guidelines or other requirement could result in client claims, reputational damage, withdrawal of assets and potential regulatory sanctions, any of which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Our business relies on the ability to attract and retain key employees, and the loss of such employees could negatively affect financial performance. The success of our business is dependent to a large extent on our ability to attract and retain key employees such as senior executives, portfolio managers, securities analysts and sales personnel. Competition in the job market for these professionals is generally intense and compensation levels in the industry are highly competitive. The market for investment managers is also characterized by the movement of investment managers among different firms. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain key employees, or if compensation costs required to attract and retain key employees increase, our performance, including our competitive position, could be materially adversely affected. Additionally, we utilize equity awards as part of our compensation philosophy and as a means for recruiting and retaining key employees. Declines in our stock price could result in deterioration in the value of equity awards granted, thus lessening the effectiveness of retaining key employees through stock-based awards. In certain circumstances, the departure of key employees could cause higher redemption rates for certain assets under management, or the loss of certain client accounts. Any inability to retain our key employees, attract qualified employees, or replace key employee positions in a timely manner, could lead to a reduction in the 13 amount of our assets under management, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and profitability. In addition, there could be additional costs to replace, retain or attract new talent which would result in a decrease in our profitability and have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. The highly competitive nature of the asset management industry may force us to reduce the fees we charge to our clients, increase amounts paid to our financial intermediaries or provide more support to those intermediaries, all of which could result in a reduction of our revenues and profitability. We face significant competition from a wide variety of financial institutions, including other investment management companies, as well as from proprietary products offered by our distribution partners such as banks, broker-dealers and financial planning firms. Competition in our businesses is based on several factors including investment performance, access to distribution channels, service to financial advisers and their clients and fees charged. Our competitors, many of which are larger than we are, often offer similar products, use similar distribution sources, offer less expensive products, have greater access to key distribution channels and have greater resources, geographic footprints and name recognition than we do. In addition, our profits are highly dependent on the fee levels for our products and services. In recent years, there has been a trend in certain segments of our markets toward lower fees. Competition could cause us to reduce the fees that we charge for products and services. In order to maintain appropriate fee levels in a competitive environment, we must be able to continue to provide clients with investment products and services that are viewed as appropriate in relation to the fees charged. If our clients, including our fund boards, were to view our fees as being high relative to the market or the returns provided by our investment products, we may choose to reduce our fee levels or we may experience significant redemptions in our assets under management, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. We are subject to an extensive and complex regulatory environment, and changes in regulations or failure to comply with regulation could adversely affect our revenues and profitability. The investment management industry in which we operate is subject to extensive and frequently changing regulation. We are regulated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, and we are subject to regulation by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission under the Commodities Exchange Act. Our Global Fund is subject to regulation by the Central Bank of Ireland. We are also regulated by FINRA, the Department of Labor under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), as well as other federal and state laws and regulations. Although we spend extensive time and resources on compliance efforts designed to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, if we or our affiliates fail to timely and properly modify and update our compliance procedures in this changing and highly complex regulatory environment, we may be subject to various legal proceedings, including civil litigation, governmental investigations and enforcement actions and result in fines, penalties or suspensions of individual employees or limitations on particular business activities, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. We have significant deferred tax assets in the U.S., and any limitations on our tax attributes could have an adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We are subject to federal and state income taxes in the United States. Tax authorities may disagree with certain positions we have taken and assess additional taxes. We regularly assess the appropriateness of our tax positions and reporting. We cannot provide assurance, however, that we will accurately predict the outcomes of audits, and the actual outcomes of these audits could be unfavorable. In addition, our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes available to us will be dependent on our ability to generate taxable income. 14 A large portion of our deferred tax assets is related to the application of a particular Internal Revenue Code section. We received a private letter ruling that relies on certain facts, assumptions and representations from management regarding the past conduct of our businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions or representations are determined to be incorrect, we may not be able to rely on the ruling and could be subject to significant tax liabilities in the event we utilize the related deferred tax assets. We utilize unaffiliated firms in providing investment management services and any matters that have an adverse impact to their business, or any change in our relationships with these unaffiliated firms could lead to a reduction in assets under management, which will adversely affect our revenues and profitability. We utilize select unaffiliated subadvisers as investment managers on certain mutual funds and variable insurance funds we offer. In addition, certain of our affiliated managers have licensing arrangements with unaffiliated data providers. Because we typically have no ownership interests in these unaffiliated firms, we do not control the business activities of such firms. Problems stemming from the business activities of these unaffiliated firms may negatively impact or disrupt such firms’ operations or expose them to disciplinary action or reputational harm. Furthermore, any such problems at these unaffiliated firms may have an adverse impact on our business or reputation or expose us to regulatory scrutiny, including with respect to our oversight of such firms. For example, in December 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced a settlement with F- Squared Investments, one of our unaffiliated subadvisers, which settled charges that F-Squared had violated the federal securities laws in connection with its false performance advertising as well as aided and abetted and caused certain mutual funds sub-advised by F-Squared to violate Section 34(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information related to the impact of developments at F-Squared on the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we periodically negotiate provisions and renewals of these relationships, and we cannot provide assurance that such terms will remain acceptable to us or the unaffiliated firms. These relationships can also be terminated upon short notice without penalty. An interruption or termination of our unaffiliated firm relationships could affect our ability to market our products and result in a reduction in assets under management, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. We distribute through intermediaries, and changes in key distribution relationships could reduce our revenues, increase our costs and adversely affect our profitability. Our primary source of distribution for our retail products is through intermediaries that include third party financial intermediaries, such as: major wire houses; national, regional and independent broker-dealers and financial advisors; banks and financial planners and registered investment advisors. Our success is highly dependent on access to these various distribution systems. These distributors are generally not contractually required to distribute our products and typically offer their clients various investment products and services, including proprietary products and services, in addition to and in competition with our products and services. While we compensate these distributors for selling our products and services pursuant to agreed amounts, we may not be able to retain access to these channels at all or at similar pricing. Increasing competition for these distribution channels could cause our distribution costs to rise, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, revenues and profitability. To the extent that existing or future intermediaries prefer to do business with our competitors, the sales of our products as well as our market share, revenues and profitability could decline. We and our third-party service providers, which includes securities pricing and transaction processing services, rely on numerous technology systems, and a temporary business interruption or security breach could negatively impact our business and profitability. Our business will suffer if our technology systems fail or are interrupted or if security breaches or other disruptions compromise our information. 15 Our technology systems and those of our third-party service providers are critical to our operations. The ability to consistently and reliably obtain accurate securities pricing information, process client portfolio and fund shareholder transactions and provide reports and other customer service to fund shareholders and clients in other accounts managed by us is essential to our continuing success. Any delays or inaccuracies in obtaining pricing information, processing such transactions or such reports, other breaches and errors, and any inadequacies in other customer service, could result in reimbursement obligations or other liabilities, or alienate customers and potentially give rise to claims against us. Our customer service capability, as well as our ability to obtain prompt and accurate securities pricing information and to process transactions and reports, is highly dependent on our third-party service providers’ information systems. Any failure or interruption of those systems, whether resulting from technology or infrastructure breakdowns, defects or external causes such as fire, natural disaster, viruses, acts of terrorism or power disruptions, could result in financial loss, negatively impact our reputation, and negatively affect our ability to do business. Although we have in place disaster recovery plans, we may experience temporary interruptions if a natural disaster or prolonged power outages were to occur which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, like other companies in the financial services industry, our computer systems are regularly subject to and are expected to continue to be the target of computer viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access, cyber-attacks or other computer-related penetrations. While we have experienced threats to our data and systems, to date, we are not aware that we have experienced a material breach of cyber security. Over time, however, the sophistication of cyber threats continues to increase, and any controls we put in place and preventative actions we take to reduce the risk of cyber incidents and protect our information may be insufficient to detect or prevent unauthorized access, cyber-attacks or other security breaches to our computer systems or those of third parties with whom we do business. Breach of our technology systems or those of third parties with whom we do business through cyber-attacks, or failure to manage and secure our technology environment, could result in interruptions or malfunctions in the operations of our business, loss of valuable information, liability for stolen assets or information, remediation costs to repair damage caused by a breach, additional costs to mitigate against future incidents and litigation costs resulting from an incident. We and certain of our third-party vendors receive and store personal information as well as non-public business information. Although we and our third-party vendors take precautions, we may still be vulnerable to hacking or other unauthorized use. A breach of the systems or hardware could result in an unauthorized access to our proprietary business or client data or release of this type of data, which could subject us to legal liability or regulatory action under data protection and privacy laws which may result in fines or penalties, the termination of existing client contracts, costly mitigation activities and harm to our reputation, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Ownership of a relatively large percentage of our common stock is concentrated with a small number of shareholders, which could increase the volatility in our stock trading and dramatically affect our share price. A large percentage of our common stock is held by a limited number of shareholders. If our larger shareholders decide to liquidate their positions, it could cause significant fluctuation in the share price of our common stock. Public companies with a relatively concentrated level of institutional shareholders, such as we have, often have difficulty generating trading volume in their stock. Civil litigation and government investigations or proceedings could adversely affect our business. Many aspects of our business involve substantial risks of liability, and there have been substantial incidences of litigation and regulatory investigations in the financial services industry in recent years, including customer claims as well as class action suits seeking substantial damages. From time to time, we and/or our funds may be named as defendants or co-defendants in lawsuits or be involved in disputes that involve the threat of lawsuits seeking substantial damages. We and/or our funds are also involved from time to time in governmental 16 and self-regulatory organization investigations and proceedings. Any of these lawsuits, investigations or proceedings could result in reputational damage, loss of clients and assets, settlements, awards, injunctions, fines, penalties, increased costs and expenses in resolving a claim, diversion of employee resources and resulting financial losses. Predicting the outcome of such matters is inherently difficult, particularly where claims are brought on behalf of various classes of claimants or by a large number of claimants, when claimants seek substantial or unspecified damages or when investigations or legal proceedings are at an early stage. A substantial judgment, settlement, fine or penalty could be material to our operating results or cash flows for a particular period, depending on our results for that period, or could cause us significant reputational harm, which could harm our business prospects. We depend to a large extent on our business relationships and our reputation to attract and retain clients. As a result, allegations of improper conduct by private litigants, including investors in our funds, or regulators, whether the ultimate outcome is favorable or unfavorable to us, as well as negative publicity and press speculation about us, our investment activities or the asset management industry in general, whether or not valid, may harm our reputation, which may be more damaging to our business than to other types of businesses. We may incur substantial legal expenses in defending against proceedings commenced by a client, regulatory authority or other private litigant. Substantial legal liability levied on us could cause significant reputational harm and have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. We have a significant portion of our assets invested in marketable securities that are primarily comprised of our seed capital program. At December 31, 2014, the Company had $238.1 million of seed capital investments. A decline in the value of equity, fixed income and alternative securities could lower the value of these investments and result in declines in our non-operating income and net income. In addition, increases or decreases in the value of these investments will increase the volatility of our earnings. We cannot assure you that our intended quarterly distributions will be paid each quarter or at all. The declaration, payment and determination of the amount of our quarterly dividend, if any, will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors, who may change our dividend policy at any time. In making decisions regarding our quarterly dividend, our Board of Directors considers general economic and business conditions, our strategic plans and prospects, our businesses and investment opportunities, our financial condition and 17 operating results, working capital requirements and anticipated cash needs, contractual restrictions and obligations, legal, tax, regulatory and other restrictions that may have implications on the payment of distributions by us to our common shareholders or by our subsidiaries to us, and such other factors as our Board of Directors may deem relevant. We cannot assure you that any distributions, whether quarterly or otherwise, will be paid. We may need to raise additional capital in the future, and resources may not be available to us in sufficient amounts or on acceptable terms, which could have an adverse impact on our business. Our ability to meet the future cash needs of the Company is dependent upon our ability to generate cash. Although the Company has been successful in generating sufficient cash in the past, it may not be successful in generating additional cash in the future. As of December 31, 2014, we maintained a strong cash and working capital position and had no debt outstanding, however, we may need to raise capital to fund new business initiatives and financing may not be available to us in sufficient amounts, on acceptable terms, or at all. Our ability to access capital markets efficiently depends on a number of factors, including the state of credit and equity markets, interest rates and credit spreads. If we are unable to access sufficient capital on acceptable terms our business could be adversely impacted. We have corporate governance provisions that may make an acquisition of us more difficult. Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could discourage, delay, or prevent a merger, acquisition, or other change in control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions also could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock. Stockholders who wish to participate in these transactions may not have the opportunity to do so. In addition, the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law also restrict certain business combinations with interested stockholders. Our insurance policies may not cover all liabilities and losses to which we may be exposed. We carry insurance in amounts and under terms that we believe are appropriate. Our insurance may not cover all liabilities and losses to which we may be exposed. Certain insurance coverage may not be available or may be prohibitively expensive in future periods. As our insurance policies come up for renewal, we may need to assume higher deductibles or pay higher premiums, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. 18 SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains statements that are, or may be considered to be, forward- looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs or expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “continue,” “project,” “opportunity,” “predict,” “would,” “potential,” “future,” “forecast,” “guarantee,” “assume,” “likely,” “target” or similar statements or variations of such terms. Our forward-looking statements are based on a series of expectations, assumptions and projections about our Company and the markets in which we operate, are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve substantial risks and uncertainty, including assumptions and projections concerning our assets under management, net cash inflows and outflows, operating cash flows and future credit facilities, for all future periods. All of our forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K only. We can give no assurance that such expectations or forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Actual results may differ materially. We do not undertake or plan to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in plans, assumptions, estimates or projections, or other circumstances occurring after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, even if such results, changes or circumstances make it clear that any forward-looking information will not be realized. If there are any future public statements or disclosures by us which modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in or accompanying this Annual Report on Form 10-K, such statements or disclosures will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our business and our forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under “Risk Factors,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any occurrence of, or any material adverse change in, one or more risk factors or risks and uncertainties referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or our other periodic reports filed with the SEC could materially and adversely affect our operations, financial results, cash flows, prospects and liquidity. You are urged to carefully consider all such factors. Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments. None. Item 2. Properties. We lease our principal offices, which are located at 100 Pearl St., Hartford, CT 06103. In addition, we lease office space in Illinois, California, Massachusetts and New York. We believe our office facilities are suitable and adequate for our business as it is presently conducted. Item 3. Legal Proceedings. The Company is regularly involved in litigation and arbitration as well as examinations, inquiries and investigations by various regulatory bodies, including the SEC, involving its compliance with, among other things, securities laws, client investment guidelines, laws governing the activities of broker-dealers and other laws and regulations affecting its products and other activities. Legal and regulatory matters of this nature involve or may involve the Company’s activities as an employer, issuer of securities, investor, investment 19 adviser, broker-dealer or taxpayer. In addition, in the normal course of business, the Company discusses matters with its regulators raised during regulatory examinations or is otherwise subject to their inquiry. These matters could result in censures, fines, penalties or other sanctions. The Company accrues for a liability when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment is required in both the determination of probability and the determination as to whether a loss is reasonably estimable. In addition, in the event the Company determines that a loss is not probable, but is reasonably possible, and it becomes possible to develop what the Company believes to be a reasonable range of possible loss, then the Company will include disclosures related to such matter as appropriate and in compliance with ASC 450, Loss Contingencies. The disclosures, accruals or estimates, if any, resulting from the foregoing analysis are reviewed at least quarterly and adjusted to reflect the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. The Company believes, based on its current knowledge, that the outcomes of its legal and regulatory proceedings are not likely, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition. However, in the event of unexpected subsequent developments and given the inherent unpredictability of these legal and regulatory matters, the Company can provide no assurance that its assessment of any claim, dispute, regulatory examination or investigation or other legal matter will reflect the ultimate outcome and an adverse outcome in certain matters could, from time to time, have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or cash flows in particular quarterly or annual periods. Tom Cummins v. Virtus Investment Partners Inc. et al On February 20, 2015, a putative class action complaint alleging violation of the federal securities laws was filed by an individual shareholder against the Company and certain of the Company’s current officers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint was purportedly filed on behalf of all purchasers of the Company’s common stock between May 28, 2013 and December 22, 2014, inclusive (the “Class Period”). The complaint alleges that, during the Class Period, the defendants disseminated materially false and misleading statements and concealed material adverse facts relating to certain funds subadvised by F-Squared Investments. The complaint alleges claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5. The plaintiff seeks to recover unspecified damages on behalf of the class members. The Company believes that the suit is without merit and intends to defend it vigorously. Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures. Not applicable. 20 PART II Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities. Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the trading symbol “VRTS.” As of February 12, 2015, we had 8,977,784 shares of our common stock outstanding that were held by approximately 68,000 holders of record. The table below sets forth the quarterly high and low sales prices of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market for each quarter in the last two fiscal years. Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2013 Quarter Ended High Low Dividends Declared First Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Second Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Third Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fourth Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $208.92 $215.72 $227.29 $188.04 $169.03 $165.00 $166.35 $151.81 $ — $0.45 $0.45 $0.45 High Low $191.34 $248.89 $195.69 $214.49 $121.22 $175.96 $152.61 $154.30 Dividends Declared $— $— $— $— On February 18, 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per common share to be paid on May 13, 2015 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2015. There have been no non-cash dividends on our common stock with respect to the periods presented. The continuation of the payment of any dividends on our common stock and the amount thereof will be determined by the board of directors depending upon, among other factors, the Company’s earnings, operations, financial condition, capital requirements and general business outlook at the time payment is considered. Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities During 2014, we repurchased a total of 225,441 shares of our common stock pursuant to the Board of Director’s fourth quarter 2010 authorization. On December 10, 2014, our Board of Directors authorized an additional 500,000 shares of our common stock to be repurchased under the share repurchase program. As of December 31, 2014, 1.2 million shares of our common stock have been authorized to be repurchased under the program, and 624,559 shares remain available for repurchase. Under the terms of the program, we may repurchase shares of our common stock from time to time at our discretion through open market repurchases and/ or privately negotiated transactions, depending on price and prevailing market and business conditions. The program is intended to generally offset dilution caused by shares issued under equity-based plans. The program, which has no specified term, may be suspended or terminated at any time. The following table sets forth information regarding our share repurchases in each month during the quarter ended December 31, 2014: Month Total number of shares repurchased Average price paid per share (1) Total number of shares repurchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs Maximum number of shares that may yet be repurchased under the plans or programs (2) October 1—31, 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . November 1—30, 2014 . . . . . . . . . December 1—31, 2014 . . . . . . . . . Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 88,567 — 88,567 $ — $158.07 $ — — 88,567 — 88,567 213,126 124,559 624,559 (1) Average price paid per share is calculated on a settlement basis and excludes commissions. (2) The share repurchases above were completed pursuant to an expanded program announced in May 2013 and December 2014. 21 There were no unregistered sales of equity securities during the period covered by this Annual Report. Shares of our common stock purchased by participants in our Employee Stock Purchase Plan were delivered to participant accounts via open market purchases at fair value by the third-party administrator under the plan. We do not reserve shares for this plan or discount the purchase price of the shares. For the year ended December 31, 2014, we paid $9.5 million in minimum employee tax withholding obligations related to employee share transactions. 22 Item 6. Selected Financial Data. The following table sets forth our selected consolidated financial and other data at the dates and for the periods indicated. The selected financial data should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. ($ in thousands, except per share data) Years Ended December 31, Results of Operations Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Operating income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Income tax expense (benefit) (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Net income (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Net income attributable to common stockholders (3) . . . Earnings per share—basic (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Earnings per share—diluted (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cash dividends declared per share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balance Sheet Data Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goodwill and other intangible assets, net . . . . . . . . . . Total assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accrued compensation and benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convertible preferred stock (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Net assets of consolidated sponsored investment 2014 (1) 2013 (1) 2012 (1) 2011 (2) 2010 (2) $450,598 319,878 130,720 39,349 96,965 97,700 10.75 10.51 1.35 $389,215 275,711 113,504 44,778 77,130 75,190 9.18 8.92 — $280,086 219,641 60,445 27,030 37,773 37,608 4.87 4.66 — $ 204,652 190,749 13,903 (132,428) 145,420 111,678 17.98 16.34 — $144,556 135,285 9,271 513 9,642 5,209 0.87 0.81 — 2014 (1) 2013 (1) 2012 (2) 2011 (2) 2010 (2) As of December 31, $202,847 63,448 47,043 698,773 54,815 — 112,350 — 563,352 $271,014 37,258 49,893 644,954 53,140 — 109,900 — 492,868 $ 63,432 18,433 53,971 332,749 41,252 15,000 85,115 — 244,471 $ 45,267 18,357 56,891 286,379 31,171 15,000 68,007 35,217 183,155 $ 43,948 12,913 57,772 148,911 19,245 15,000 64,720 35,921 48,270 products (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216,672 98,433 40,397 — — As of December 31, 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 ($ in millions) Assets Under Management Total assets under management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 56,702 $ 57,740 $ 45,537 $ 34,588 $ 29,473 (1) Derived from audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. (2) Derived from audited consolidated financial statements not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. (3) The amount shown for the 2014 fiscal year includes a net tax benefit of approximately $15.5 million due to the resolution of uncertain tax positions. The amount shown for the 2011 fiscal year includes a tax benefit of $132.4 million, primarily related to the release of a valuation allowance on certain deferred tax assets. (4) On October 27, 2011, the Company entered into an agreement with the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B”) stockholder to convert 35,217 shares of Series B into 1,349,300 shares of common stock. The Series B was converted to shares of common stock on January 6, 2012. As a result of the conversion, all of the preferred shares were retired. (5) The Company consolidates sponsored investment products in which it has a majority voting interest. Net assets of consolidated sponsored investment products are comprised of $252.3, $149.2 and $43.9 million of total assets, $12.6, $8.6 and $0.3 million of total liabilities and $23.1, $42.2 and $3.2 million of redeemable noncontrolling interests at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. 23 Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Overview Our Business We are a provider of investment management and related services to individuals and institutions. We use a multi-manager, multi-style approach, offering investment strategies from affiliated managers and unaffiliated subadvisers, each having its own distinct investment style, autonomous investment process and individual brand. By offering a broad array of products, we believe we can appeal to a greater number of investors, which allows us to have offerings across market cycles through changes in investor preferences. Our earnings are primarily driven by asset-based fees charged for services relating to these various products including investment management, fund administration, distribution and shareholder services. We offer investment strategies for individual and institutional investors in different product structures and through multiple distribution channels. Our investment strategies are available in a diverse range of styles and disciplines, managed by a collection of boutique investment managers, both affiliated and unaffiliated. We have offerings in various asset classes (domestic and international equity, fixed income and alternative), in all market capitalizations (large, mid and small), in different styles (growth, blend and value) and with various investment approaches (fundamental, quantitative and thematic). Our retail products include open-end mutual funds, closed- end funds, variable insurance funds and separately managed accounts. We also offer certain of our investment strategies to institutional clients. We distribute our open-end mutual funds through financial intermediaries. We have broad access in the retail market, with distribution partners that include national and regional broker-dealers, independent broker- dealers and independent financial advisory firms. In many of these firms, we have a number of products that are on firms’ preferred “recommended” lists and on fee-based advisory programs. Our sales efforts are supported by regional sales professionals, a national account relationship group and separate teams for the retirement and insurance markets. Our separately managed accounts are distributed through financial intermediaries and directly by teams at our affiliated managers. Our institutional distribution strategy is an affiliate-centric and coordinated model. Through relationships with consultants, our affiliates target key market segments, including foundations and endowments, corporate, public and private pension plans and unaffiliated mutual funds. Market Developments In 2014, the global equity markets were up as evidenced by the MSCI World Index ending the year at 1,710 as compared to 1,661 at the start of the year, an increase of 3.0%. The major U.S. equity indexes were also up for 2014, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending the year at 17,823, from 16,577 at the beginning of the year, an increase of 7.5%, and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index increased by 11.4% ending the year at 2,059, from 1,848 at the beginning of the year. The major U.S. bond index, the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, increased 6.0% in 2014 ending the year at 1,915, compared to 1,807 at the beginning of the year. The financial markets have had and are likely to continue to have a significant impact on asset flows and the value of our assets under management. The capital and financial markets could experience fluctuation and volatility, as they have in the past, which could impact relative investment returns and asset flows among investment products as well as investor choices and preferences among investment products, including equity, fixed income and alternative products. Financial Highlights • Total revenues were $450.6 million in 2014, an increase of $61.4 million, or 15.8%, from $389.2 million in 2013. Total revenues increased in 2014 compared to the same period in the prior year as a result of higher average assets under management and an increase in average fees earned. 24 • Long-term open-end mutual fund sales in 2014 of $12.7 billion represent a 34.8% sales rate (defined as inflows divided by beginning assets under management). Open-end fund sales during 2014 remained diversified by asset class, with 29.3% of sales in international equity funds, 29.7% in fixed income strategies, 28.7% of sales in domestic equity funds and 12.3% in alternative strategies. • Net income attributable to common stockholders in 2014 increased 29.9% to $97.7 million, from $75.2 million, in 2013. The 2014 earnings include a net tax benefit of $15.5 million related to the resolution of uncertain tax positions. Earnings per diluted common share increased 17.8% to $10.51 in 2014 from $8.92 in 2013. • In the second quarter of 2014, we launched the Duff & Phelps Select Energy MLP Fund Inc. (NYSE: DSE), a new closed-end fund managed by Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co., an affiliated manager. The fund added $493.8 million in assets under management during the year. At December 31, 2014 the fund had assets under management of $583.7 million inclusive of leverage. Assets Under Management At December 31, 2014, we managed $56.7 billion in total assets, representing a decrease of $1.0 billion, or 1.8%, from the $57.7 billion managed at December 31, 2013. The decrease in assets under management was due to the liquidation of our money market open-end funds of $1.6 billion, net outflows of $1.2 billion, $1.0 billion from dividends distributed, net of reinvestments, and the impact on assets from the use of leverage, offset by market appreciation of $2.8 billion. The 2014 full year net outflows of $0.5 billion in our long-term open-end funds was the result of fourth quarter 2014 net outflows of $2.2 billion, offset by net inflows of $1.7 billion from the first three quarters of 2014. The $2.2 billion in net outflows during the fourth quarter of 2014 was primarily attributable to $1.8 billion in net outflows in our domestic equity, Premium AlphaSector and alternative Dynamic AlphaSector funds. We believe several factors individually and collectively contributed to the outflows, including reactions to a large capital gain distribution communicated in the fourth quarter of 2014, the absolute performance of these products in a rising market environment and developments at the funds’ subadviser, F-Squared Investments, including a regulatory settlement and the resignation of its CEO in the fourth quarter of 2014 and the related announcements and media coverage. At December 31, 2014, F-Squared Investments served as subadviser to the Virtus mutual funds that represented $9.9 billion of assets under management. In 2015, we continued to experience net outflows in our long-term open-end funds primarily attributable to net outflows in the Premium AlphaSector and Dynamic AlphaSector funds. The changes in our assets under management may also be affected by the factors discussed in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K “Risk Factors”. Long-term assets under management, which exclude cash management products, were $56.7 billion at December 31, 2014, an increase of $0.5 billion, or 0.9%, from $56.2 billion at December 31, 2013. Average assets under management, which generally correspond to our fee-earning asset levels, were $59.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2014, an increase of $6.1 billion, or 11.6%, from $53.0 billion for the year ended December 31, 2013. Operating Results In 2014, total revenues increased 15.8% to $450.6 million from $389.2 million in 2013. Revenues increased in 2014 compared to 2013, primarily as a result of an increase in average assets under management and an increase in fee rates. Operating income increased by 15.2% from $113.5 million in 2013 to $130.7 million in 2014, due to increased revenues driven by higher levels of average assets under management partially offset by higher employment expenses associated with personnel additions to support the growth of the business and distribution and administrative expenses attributable to the launch of the new DSE closed-end fund. 25 Assets Under Management by Product The following table summarizes our assets under management by product: As of December 31, Change 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % ($ in millions) Retail Assets Mutual fund assets Long-term open-end mutual funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,292.3 $36,367.7 6,499.6 7,581.4 Closed-end funds . . . . . . . . . . Money market open-end $25,827.1 6,231.6 $ (75.4) 1,081.8 (0.2)% $10,540.6 268.0 16.6% 40.8% 4.3% funds (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 1,556.6 1,994.1 (1,556.6) (100.0)% (437.5) (21.9)% Total mutual fund assets . . . . . . . . Variable insurance funds . . . . . . . . . . Separately managed accounts (2) Total retail assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total institutional accounts (2) . . . . 43,873.7 1,221.9 6,884.8 51,980.4 4,722.0 44,423.9 1,311.8 7,433.1 53,168.8 4,570.8 34,052.8 1,295.7 5,829.0 41,177.5 4,359.5 (550.2) (89.9) (548.3) (1.2)% 10,371.1 16.1 (6.9)% 1,604.1 (7.4)% (1,188.4) 151.2 (2.2)% 11,991.3 211.3 3.3% 30.5% 1.2% 27.5% 29.1% 4.8% Total Assets Under Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,702.4 $57,739.6 $45,537.0 $(1,037.2) (1.8)% $12,202.6 26.8% Average Assets Under Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,122.1 $52,975.8 $39,631.5 $ 6,146.3 11.6% $13,344.3 33.7% (1) On October 20, 2014, our money market funds were liquidated. This liquidation had no impact on our operating results. Includes assets under management related to option strategies. (2) 26 Asset Flows by Product The following table summarizes our asset flows by product for the periods indicated: ($ in millions) Retail Products Years Ended December 31, 2014 2013 2012 Mutual Funds—Long-Term Open-End Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 36,367.7 12,665.6 (13,198.3) $ 25,827.1 19,097.6 (10,991.7) $16,896.6 12,340.9 (5,921.7) Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (532.7) 1,225.4 (768.1) 8,105.9 2,124.6 310.1 6,419.2 2,542.0 (30.7) Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 36,292.3 $ 36,367.7 $25,827.1 Mutual Funds—Closed-End Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 6,499.6 493.8 — $ 6,231.6 — — $ 5,675.6 444.2 — Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493.8 799.3 (211.3) — 728.2 (460.2) 444.2 362.7 (250.9) Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7,581.4 $ 6,499.6 $ 6,231.6 Mutual Funds—Money Market Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,556.6 (1,556.6) $ 1,994.1 (437.5) $ 2,294.8 (300.7) Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ — $ 1,556.6 $ 1,994.1 Variable Insurance Funds Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,311.8 68.1 (229.8) $ 1,295.7 48.7 (245.4) $ 1,308.6 48.0 (238.2) Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (161.7) 71.8 — (196.7) 213.3 (0.5) (190.2) 177.3 — Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,221.9 $ 1,311.8 $ 1,295.7 Separately Managed Accounts (2) Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7,433.1 1,333.6 (2,244.8) $ 5,829.0 1,384.0 (1,225.9) $ 3,933.8 1,178.4 (980.7) Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (911.2) 355.5 7.4 158.1 1,481.4 (35.4) 197.7 526.8 1,170.7 Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 6,884.8 $ 7,433.1 $ 5,829.0 Institutional Accounts (2) Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,570.8 650.5 (743.0) $ 4,359.5 796.3 (782.1) $ 4,478.2 435.9 (576.1) Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (92.5) 389.2 (145.5) 14.2 314.7 (117.6) (140.2) 233.4 (211.9) Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,722.0 $ 4,570.8 $ 4,359.5 Total Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 57,739.6 15,211.6 (16,415.9) $ 45,537.0 21,326.6 (13,245.1) $34,587.6 14,447.4 (7,716.7) Net flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1,204.3) 2,841.2 (2,674.1) 8,081.5 4,862.2 (741.1) 6,730.7 3,842.2 376.5 Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 56,702.4 $ 57,739.6 $45,537.0 27 (1) Represents open-end and closed-end mutual fund distributions, net of reinvestments, net flows of cash management strategies, net flows and market performance on structured products and net flows from non- sales related activities such as asset acquisitions/(dispositions), marketable securities investments/ (withdrawals) and the impact on assets from the use of leverage. Includes assets under management related to option strategies. (2) The following table summarizes our assets under management by asset class: As of December 31, Change 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % ($ in millions) Asset Class Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed income . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alternatives (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,180.7 16,681.6 5,372.4 467.7 $33,610.7 15,829.4 5,308.3 2,991.2 $24,668.1 14,861.2 2,694.7 3,313.0 $ 570.0 852.2 64.1 (2,523.5) 1.7% $ 8,942.6 968.2 5.4% 2,613.6 1.2% (321.8) (84.4)% 36.3% 6.5% 97.0% (9.7)% Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,702.4 $57,739.6 $45,537.0 $(1,037.2) (1.8)% $12,202.6 26.8% (1) Consists of long/short equity, real estate, master-limited partnerships and other. (2) Consists of cash management and options strategies. Options strategies were $467.7 million, $1,403.6 million and $1,283.2 million at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Average Assets Under Management and Average Basis Points The following table summarizes average assets under management and the average management fee earned: As of December 31, Average Fee Earned (expressed in basis points) Average Assets Under Management ($ in millions) 2014 2013 2012 2014 2013 2012 Products 51.3 Mutual Funds—Long-term Open-End (1)(2) . . . . . . Mutual Funds—Closed-End . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65.6 Mutual Funds—Money Market Open-End (1) . . . . . — 50.9 Variable Insurance Funds (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.9 Separately Managed Accounts (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Institutional Accounts (3) All Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.9 51.1 61.6 1.6 56.5 48.7 33.7 49.2 50.5 58.8 4.2 48.4 50.7 30.7 47.4 $38,349.2 7,112.9 1,060.1 1,271.1 6,774.2 4,554.6 $32,520.4 6,476.0 1,700.7 1,300.6 6,471.4 4,506.7 $21,446.5 6,014.9 1,845.7 1,319.8 4,586.0 4,418.6 $59,122.1 $52,975.8 $39,631.5 (1) Average fees earned are net of fees paid to unaffiliated subadvisers. (2) Excludes the impact of consolidated sponsored investment products. Includes assets under management related to options strategies. (3) Long-term and money market open-end mutual fund and variable insurance fund fees are calculated based on average daily net assets. Closed-end fund fees are calculated based on either average weekly or daily net assets. Average fees earned will vary based on several factors, including the asset mix and reimbursements to funds. Separately managed account fees are calculated based on the end of the preceding or current quarter’s asset values or on an average of month-end balances. Institutional account fees are calculated based on an average of month-end balances or current quarter’s asset values. 28 Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. The average fee rate earned for 2014 increased 1.7 basis points as compared to the prior year primarily related to the liquidation of our money market funds in October 2014 and an increase in the closed-end fund fee rate related to the closed-end fund launch during the year. The average fee rate earned on institutional and separately managed accounts increased in 2014 as compared to 2013 primarily due to the redemption of low fee earning accounts. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. The average fee rate earned for 2013 increased as compared to the prior year as equity and alternative products, which generally have higher fees, represented a higher percentage of our assets under management due to strong sales, positive flows and market appreciation. The average fee rate earned on closed-end funds increased for 2013 as compared to the same period in 2012 due to decreased fee waivers. The average fee rate earned on variable insurance funds increased in 2013 as compared to the same period in 2012 due to a decrease in fund reimbursements over the same periods. The average fee rate earned on institutional products increased in 2013 as compared to 2012 due to higher fee rates on new institutional mandates and additional fees on one of our structured products. Results of Operations Summary Financial Data Years Ended December 31, Change 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % ($ in thousands) Investment management fees . . . . Other revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300,663 149,935 $260,557 128,658 $187,875 92,211 $40,106 21,277 Total revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450,598 389,215 280,086 Operating expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . Amortization expense . . . . . . . . . . 316,100 3,778 271,298 4,413 215,520 4,121 Total operating expenses . . . . . . 319,878 275,711 219,641 Operating income . . . . . . . . . . . . Other (expense) income, net . . . . . Interest income, net . . . . . . . . . . . . Income before income taxes . . . . Income tax expense . . . . . . . . . . . . Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noncontrolling interests . . . . . . . . Allocation of earnings to preferred stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Net income attributable to 130,720 (2,843) 8,437 136,314 39,349 96,965 735 113,504 5,939 2,465 121,908 44,778 60,445 3,925 433 64,803 27,030 77,130 (1,940) 37,773 (101) 15.4% 16.5% 15.8% 16.5% (14.4)% 16.0% 15.2% (147.9)% 242.3% 11.8% (12.1)% 25.7% (137.9)% $ 72,682 36,447 109,129 55,778 292 56,070 53,059 2,014 2,032 57,105 17,748 38.7% 39.5% 39.0% 25.9% 7.1% 25.5% 87.8% 51.3% 469.3% 88.1% 65.7% 39,357 (1,839) 104.2% 1,820.8% 61,383 44,802 (635) 44,167 17,216 (8,782) 5,972 14,406 (5,429) 19,835 2,675 — — (64) — — % 64 (100.0)% common stockholders . . . . . . . $ 97,700 $ 75,190 $ 37,608 $22,510 29.9% $ 37,582 99.9% 29 Revenues Revenues by source were as follows: ($ in thousands) 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % Years Ended December 31, Change Investment management fees Mutual funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $242,880 $206,516 $144,688 23,245 Separately managed accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,554 Institutional accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,388 Variable products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,510 15,184 7,347 35,152 16,156 6,475 $36,364 3,642 972 (872) 17.6% $ 61,828 8,265 11.6% 1,630 6.4% 959 (11.9)% Total investment management fees . . . . . . Distribution and service fees . . . . . . . . . . . Administration and transfer agent fees . . . Other income and fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300,663 91,950 56,016 1,969 260,557 78,965 48,185 1,508 187,875 56,866 33,779 1,566 40,106 12,985 7,831 461 15.4% 16.4% 16.3% 30.6% 72,682 22,099 14,406 (58) 42.7% 35.6% 12.0% 15.0% 38.7% 38.9% 42.6% (3.7)% Total revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $450,598 $389,215 $280,086 $61,383 15.8% $109,129 39.0% Investment Management Fees Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Investment management fees are earned based on a percentage of assets under management and are paid pursuant to the terms of the respective investment management contracts, which generally require monthly or quarterly payments. Investment management fees increased by $40.1 million or 15.4% for the year ended December 31, 2014 due to an 11.6% increase in average assets under management and an increase of approximately two basis points in average fee rate earned. The increase in average assets under management for the year ended December 31, 2014 was due primarily to the 2013 growth in assets under management. Revenues increased at a higher rate than assets under management due to the increase in the average fee rate earned and the timing of flows during the year. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Investment management fees increased by $72.7 million or 38.7% for the year ended December 31, 2013 due to a 33.7% increase in average assets under management and an increase of approximately two basis points in average fee rate earned. The increase in average assets under management for the year ended December 31, 2013 was due primarily to overall positive net flows of $8.1 billion resulting from higher sales of long-term open-end mutual funds in 2013 and market appreciation of $4.9 billion. Revenues increased at a higher rate than assets under management due to the increase in the average fee rate earned and the mix of assets. Cash management assets represented 2.7% of total assets under management at December 31, 2013 compared to 4.5% at December 31, 2012. Distribution and Service Fees Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Distribution and service fees, which are asset-based fees earned from open-end mutual funds and variable insurance funds for distribution services, increased by $13.0 million or 16.4% for the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to the prior year due to higher average long-term open-end assets under management. The increase in fees also resulted in a corresponding increase in distribution and administrative expenses, primarily driven by increased payments to third-party distribution partners for providing services to investors in our sponsored funds, including marketing support services. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Distribution and service fees increased by $22.1 million or 38.9% for the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to the prior year due to higher assets under management. The increase in fees also resulted in a corresponding increase in distribution and administrative expenses, primarily driven by increased payments to our third-party distribution partners for providing services to investors in our sponsored funds. 30 Administration and Transfer Agent Fees Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Administration and transfer agent fees represent fees earned for fund administration and shareholder services from our open-end mutual funds, variable insurance funds and certain of our closed-end funds. Fund administration and transfer agent fees increased $7.8 million or 16.3% for the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to the prior year due to higher average long-term open-end mutual fund assets under management. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Administration and transfer agent fees increased $14.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to the prior year due to higher long-term open-end mutual fund average assets under management. Other Income and Fees Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Other income and fees primarily represent contingent sales charges earned from redemptions of certain shares sold without a front-end sales charge and fees earned for the distribution of unaffiliated products. Other income and fees increased $0.5 million or 30.6%, primarily due to an increase in contingent sales charges earned from redemptions. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Other income and fees decreased $0.1 million primarily due to a decrease in fees earned for the distribution of unaffiliated products. Operating Expenses Operating expenses by category were as follows: Years Ended December 31, Change 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % ($ in thousands) Operating expenses Employment expenses . . . . . . . . . . Distribution and administrative expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other operating expenses . . . . . . . . Restructuring and severance . . . . . Depreciation and other amortization expense . . . . . . . . . Amortization expense . . . . . . . . . . $139,809 $131,768 $105,571 $ 8,041 6.1% $26,197 24.8% 123,665 49,569 294 2,763 3,778 97,786 39,119 203 2,422 4,413 72,210 34,332 1,597 1,810 4,121 25,879 10,450 91 26.5% 25,576 26.7% 4,787 44.8% (1,394) 35.4% 13.9% (87.3)% 341 (635) 14.1% (14.4)% 612 292 33.8% 7.1% Total operating expenses . . . . . . . . . . . $319,878 $275,711 $219,641 $44,167 16.0% $56,070 25.5% Employment Expenses Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Employment expenses primarily consist of fixed and variable compensation and related employee benefit costs. Employment expenses of $139.8 million increased $8.0 million or 6.1% as compared to the year ended December 31, 2013. The increase was primarily due to personnel additions related to the growth of the business, increases in profit-based variable incentive compensation, payroll taxes and other benefits, resulting from higher profits. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Employment expenses of $131.8 million increased $26.2 million or 24.8% as compared to the year ended December 31, 2012. The increase was primarily due to increases in sales and profit-based variable compensation, payroll taxes and other benefits resulting from higher sales and profits and staff additions related to the growth of the business and the full year impact from the addition of a new affiliate. 31 Distribution and Administrative Expenses Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Distribution and administrative expenses primarily consist of payments to third-party distribution partners for providing services to investors in our sponsored funds. These payments are primarily based on percentages of assets under management. These expenses also include the amortization of deferred sales commissions related to up-front commissions on shares sold without a front-end sales charge to shareholders. The deferred sales commissions are amortized on a straight line basis over the periods in which commissions are generally recovered from distribution fee revenues and contingent sales charges received from shareholders of the funds upon redemption of their shares. Distribution and administrative expenses increased $25.9 million or 26.5% in the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to the prior year. The increase was primarily attributable to closed-end fund structuring costs of $9.6 million incurred in connection with the launch of the new DSE closed-end fund during the second quarter of 2014 as well as higher average long-term open-end assets under management. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Distribution and administrative expenses increased $25.6 million or 35.4% in the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to the prior year. The increase was primarily due to increases in higher average long-term open-end assets under management. There were $3.9 million of closed-end fund launch costs in the first quarter of 2012 for which there were no comparable costs incurred during the corresponding period in 2013. Other Operating Expenses Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Other operating expenses primarily consist of investment research and technology costs, professional fees, travel and distribution related costs, rent and occupancy expenses, operating expenses of our consolidated sponsored investment products and other miscellaneous costs. Other operating expenses increased $10.5 million or 26.7% to $49.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to $39.1 million in the prior year. The increase over the prior year reflects additional costs primarily attributable to increased sales and marketing activities, professional fees and costs related to the ongoing transition of middle-and-back office systems to a third party service provider. Other operating expenses of consolidated sponsored investment products increased by $2.2 million over the prior year, reflecting the consolidation of an additional four funds during the year. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Other operating expenses increased $4.8 million or 13.9% to $39.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to $34.3 million in the prior year primarily due to increases in investment research costs, depreciation expense, rent and occupancy costs as a result of the acquisition of Rampart Investment Management (“Rampart”) during the fourth quarter of 2012 and travel and entertainment costs associated with the expansion of the retail distribution team, partially offset by reductions in professional fees. Restructuring and Severance We incurred $0.3 million, $0.2 million, and $1.6 million of restructuring and severance costs in 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively, resulting from staff reductions. Depreciation and Other Amortization Expense Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Depreciation and other amortization expense primarily consists of the straight-line depreciation of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements over their estimated useful lives. Depreciation and other amortization expense increased $0.3 million or 14.1% to $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 as compared to $2.4 million in the prior year primarily as a result of the increase in our furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements as a result of the growth in the business. 32 Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Depreciation and other amortization expense increased $0.6 million or 33.8% to $2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to $1.8 million in the prior year primarily as a result of the increase in our furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements as a result of the growth in the business. Amortization Expense Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Amortization expense primarily consists of the straight-line amortization of acquired investment advisory contracts, recorded as definite-lived intangible assets, over their estimated useful lives. Amortization expense was $3.8 million during 2014, representing a decrease of $0.6 million or 14.4%, compared to 2013. The decrease was primarily due to certain definite-lived intangible assets becoming fully amortized during 2014. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Amortization expense of $4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 increased from the prior year by $0.3 million or 7.1% due to the addition of intangible assets as a result of the acquisition of Rampart in 2012. Other Income (Expense), net Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Other income (expense), net primarily consists of realized and unrealized gains and losses recorded on investments, investments of consolidated sponsored investment products as well as earnings from equity method investments. Other income (expense), net, decreased from the prior year by $8.8 million or 147.9%. Excluding investments of consolidated sponsored investment products, Other income (expense), net decreased $0.6 million primarily due to a decrease in realized and unrealized gains on investments partially offset by an increase in earnings on equity method investments. Investments of consolidated sponsored investment products recognized $4.6 million of unrealized losses during 2014 versus $3.5 million of unrealized gains during the prior year. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Other income (expense), net increased from the prior year by $2.0 million or 51.3% due to increases in the market value of trading securities and realized and unrealized gains related to investments of consolidated sponsored investment products. Interest Income (Expense), net Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. Interest income, net consists of interest and dividend income earned on cash equivalents, investments and the investments of our consolidated sponsored investment products. Interest income, net increased $6.0 million or 242.3% in 2014 compared to the prior year. The increase in interest income, net was primarily due to higher interest and dividend income earned on our investments and the investments of our consolidated sponsored investment products. Investments of consolidated sponsored investment products have grown $97.6 million, or 70.2% during 2014 from $139.1 million at December 31, 2013 to $236.7 million at December 31, 2014. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. Interest income (expense), net increased $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 compared to the prior year. The increase in interest income (expense), net was due to higher interest and dividend income earned on investments of our consolidated sponsored investment products and $0.1 million in lower interest expense for the year since we repaid our debt outstanding during the third quarter of 2013. During September 2013, we repaid the entire outstanding balance under our amended senior secured revolving credit facility (“Credit Facility”). The effective interest rate on our outstanding long-term debt, inclusive of the amortization of deferred financing costs, was 4.77% through the period we had outstanding debt in 2013 as compared to 5.05% as of December 31, 2012. The decrease in our effective interest rate was due to the decrease in our interest rate based on the terms of our Credit Facility. 33 Income Tax Expense Year ended December 31, 2014 compared to year ended December 31, 2013. The provision for income taxes reflected U.S. federal, state and local taxes at an estimated effective tax rate of 28.9% and 36.7% for 2014 and 2013, respectively. Our effective tax rate for 2014 was impacted by a net tax benefit of approximately $15.5 million due to the resolution of uncertain tax positions partially offset by a $2.2 million valuation allowance primarily related to unrealized mark-to-market loss positions on our seed capital portfolio. Year ended December 31, 2013 compared to year ended December 31, 2012. The provision for income taxes reflected federal, state and local taxes at an estimated annual effective tax rate of 36.7% and 41.7%, for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The primary difference in the annual effective tax rate for 2013 compared to 2012 was attributable to a reduction of the recorded value of our state net deferred tax asset of $3.4 million in 2012 due to an expected decrease in our state tax rate. Effects of Inflation Inflation can impact our organization primarily in two ways. First, inflationary pressures can result in increases to our cost structure, especially to the extent that large expense components such as compensation are impacted. To the degree that these expense increases are not recoverable or cannot be counterbalanced through pricing increases due to the competitive environment, our profitability could be negatively impacted. Secondly, the value of the assets that we manage may be negatively impacted when inflationary expectations result in a rising interest rate environment. Declines in the values of these assets under management could lead to reduced revenues as management fees are generally earned as a percent of assets under management. Liquidity and Capital Resources Certain Financial Data The following tables summarize certain key financial data relating to our liquidity and capital resources: ($ in thousands) 2014 2013 2012 2014 vs. 2013 % 2013 vs. 2012 % As of December 31, Change Balance Sheet Data (1) Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . $202,847 $271,014 $ 63,432 $ (68,167) 26,190 Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4,338) Deferred taxes, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,270 Dividends payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debt Total equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,484 Net assets of consolidated sponsored 18,433 96,923 — 15,000 244,471 37,258 64,500 — — 492,868 63,448 60,162 4,270 — 563,352 (25.2)% $207,582 70.3% 18,825 (6.7)% (32,423) 100.0% — — % (15,000) 14.3% 248,397 327.3% 102.1% (33.5)% — % (100.0)% 101.6% investment products (1) . . . . . . . . . 216,672 98,433 40,397 118,239 120.1% 58,036 143.7% Years Ended December 31, 2014 2013 2012 Cash Flow Data (1) Provided by (used in) Operating activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $(58,871) $ 28,837 (6,231) 185,493 (8,181) (1,189) $ 39,818 (5,167) (16,472) (1) Net assets of consolidated sponsored investment products were comprised of $252.3, $149.2 and $43.9 million of total assets, $12.6, $8.6 and $0.3 million of total liabilities and $23.1, $42.2 and $3.2 million of redeemable noncontrolling interests at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. 34 Overview We maintained significant liquidity and capital resources during the year ended December 31, 2014. At December 31, 2014, we had $202.8 million of cash and cash equivalents and $50.3 million of investments in marketable securities compared to $271.0 million of cash and cash equivalents and $29.0 million of investments in marketable securities at December 31, 2013. We have additional liquidity available through a Credit Facility that allows us to borrow up to $75.0 million that expires in September 2017. Under the terms of the underlying credit agreement, we can increase this facility to $125.0 million upon satisfaction of certain approval requirements. At December 31, 2014, we had no outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility. Short-Term Capital Requirements Our short-term capital requirements, which we consider to be those capital requirements due within one year, include payment of annual incentive compensation, income tax payments and other operating expenses, primarily consisting of investment research and technology costs, professional fees, distribution and occupancy costs. Incentive compensation, which is one of the largest annual operating cash expenditures, is paid in the first quarter of the year. In the first quarter of 2014 and 2013, we paid approximately $45.0 million and $33.0 million, respectively, in incentive compensation earned during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Short-term capital requirements may also be affected by employee tax withholding payments related to the net share settlement of equity awards. The Company paid $9.5 million and $7.5 million in minimum employee tax withholding obligations related to net share settlements in 2014 and 2013, respectively. These net share settlements had the effect of share repurchases by the Company as they reduced the number of shares that otherwise would have been issued as a result of the vesting or exercise. The amount of employee tax withholdings we pay in future periods will vary based on our stock price, the number of equity awards net settled during the period and whether we and our employees elect to satisfy withholding taxes through net share settlement. Approximately 65,700 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) are expected to vest in March 2015 that may require a cash outlay related to minimum employee tax withholdings. Other Uses of Capital We expect that our main uses of cash will be to (i) invest in our organic growth, including our distribution efforts and closed-end fund launches; (ii) seed new investment strategies and mutual funds to introduce new products or to enhance distribution access; (iii) return of capital to stockholders through acquisition of shares of our common stock, payment of cash dividends on our common stock or other means; (iv) fund ongoing and potential investments in our infrastructure to achieve greater economies of scale and a more efficient overall cost structure; and (v) invest in inorganic growth opportunities as they arise. In August and November 2014, we paid cash dividends on our common stock in the amount of $0.45 per share, respectively, totaling $8.2 million. On December 10, 2014, our Board of Directors approved a third cash dividend on our common stock in the amount of $0.45 per share to holders of record at the close of business on January 30, 2015 which was paid on February 13, 2015. The amount paid for this dividend was $4.0 million. On February 18, 2015, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per common share to be paid on May 13, 2015 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2015. In addition, during 2014 we paid approximately $40.3 million to repurchase a total of 225,441 common shares under the board authorized share repurchase program. During 2013, we paid approximately $19.7 million to repurchase 105,000 common shares under the same program. Capital and Reserve Requirements VPD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and is therefore subject to certain rules regarding minimum net capital, as defined by those rules. VPD is required to maintain a ratio of “aggregate indebtedness” to “net capital,” as defined, which may not exceed 15 to 1 and must also maintain a minimum amount of net capital. Failure to meet these requirements could result in adverse consequences to us including additional reporting requirements, a lower required ratio of aggregate indebtedness 35 to net capital or interruption of our business. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the ratio of aggregate indebtedness to net capital of our broker-dealer was below the maximum allowed, and its net capital was significantly greater than the required minimum. Balance Sheet Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash in banks and money market fund investments. Cash and cash equivalents typically increase in the second, third and fourth quarters of the year as we record, but do not pay, variable incentive compensation. Investments consist primarily of investments in our affiliated mutual funds. Consolidated sponsored investment products primarily represent investment products we sponsor and where we own a majority of the voting interest in the entity. As of December 31, 2014, we consolidated a total of 12 sponsored investment products. At both December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had no debt outstanding. Operating Cash Flow Net cash used in operating activities of $58.9 million for 2014 decreased by $87.7 million from net cash provided by operating activities of $28.8 million in the prior year due primarily to increases in net purchases of investments by consolidated sponsored investment products of $95.2 million. Excluding the net purchases of investments by consolidated sponsored investment products, net cash provided by operating activities increased $7.5 million. This increase is primarily attributable to increases in cash pledged or on deposit of consolidated sponsored investment products, increases in the recognition of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation and decreased deferred income taxes and accrued compensation, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, partially offset by cash generated from increased operating profitability and increases in sales of trading securities, net. Net cash provided by operating activities of $28.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 declined by $11.0 million from net cash provided by operating activities of $39.8 million in the prior year due primarily to increases in purchases of investments by consolidated sponsored investment products, payments of deferred commissions, accounts receivable and realized and unrealized gains on investments of consolidated sponsored investment products offset by an increase in our net income, amortization of deferred commissions and accrued compensation, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. Cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2013 included the expected utilization of deferred tax assets to reduce current taxes payable in the amount of $32.6 million. Investing Cash Flow Net cash used in investing activities consists primarily of capital expenditures and other investing activities related to our business operations. Net cash used in investing activities of $8.2 million for 2014 increased by $2.0 million from net cash used in investing activities of $6.2 million in the prior year due to an increase in the amount paid for asset acquisitions of equity method and other investments in the current year as compared to the prior year. Net cash used in investing activities of $6.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 increased by $1.1 million from net cash used in investing activities of $5.2 million in the prior year due primarily to the acquisition of our equity method investment in Kleinwort Benson Investors International, Ltd. as well as the change in cash and cash equivalents as a result of the deconsolidation of certain consolidated sponsored investment products offset by a decrease in capital expenditures of approximately $1.8 million. Financing Cash Flow Cash flows used in financing activities consist primarily of repurchases of our common stock, payments to settle minimum tax withholding obligations for the net share settlement of employee share transactions, payments of cash dividends on our common stock and contributions to noncontrolling interests related to our consolidated sponsored investment products. Net cash used in financing activities decreased $186.7 million to 36 $1.2 million in 2014 compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $185.5 million in the prior year. The primary reason for the decrease was due to proceeds of $191.8 million from the issuance of 1.3 million shares of our common stock in the prior year with no such issuance in the current year. Also contributing to the change in 2014 was increased repurchases of our common stock of $20.6 million and dividends paid of $8.2 million, partially offset by the repayment of the entire $15.0 million of debt outstanding in the prior year that did not recur in 2014. During the 2014, we received $24.8 million in excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation compared to $0.5 million received in the prior year. For the year ended December 31, 2013, net cash provided by financing activities of $185.5 million consisted primarily of net proceeds of $191.8 million from the issuance of 1.3 million shares of common stock in a public offering, $35.5 million in third-party contributions to the noncontrolling interests in our consolidated sponsored investment products and $0.6 million in proceeds from stock option exercises offset by the repayment of the total amount outstanding of $15.0 million on our Credit Facility, repurchases of our common stock of $19.7 million, payments to settle minimum tax withholding obligations for the net share settlement of RSUs of $7.5 million and contingent payments made related to acquired investment management contracts of $0.6 million. Debt Our Credit Facility, as amended and restated, has a five-year term expiring in September 2017 and provides borrowing capacity of up to $75.0 million with a $7.5 million sub-limit for the issuance of standby letters of credit. In addition, the Credit Facility provides for a $50.0 million increase in borrowing capacity conditioned on approval by the lending group. The Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, no amount was outstanding under the Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had the capacity to draw on the entire $75.0 million available under the Credit Facility. Amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility bear interest at an annual rate equal to, at our option, either LIBOR for interest periods of 1, 2, 3 or 6 months or an alternate base rate (as defined in the Credit Facility agreement), plus, in each case, an applicable margin, that ranges from 0.75% to 2.50%. Under the terms of the Credit Facility, we are also required to pay certain fees, including an annual commitment fee that ranges from 0.35% to 0.50% on undrawn amounts and a letter of credit participation fee at an annual rate equal to the applicable margin as well as any applicable fronting fees, each of which is payable quarterly in arrears. The Credit Facility contains customary covenants, including covenants that restrict (subject in certain instances to minimum thresholds or exceptions) our and certain of our subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness, create liens, merge or make acquisitions, dispose of assets, enter into leases, sale/leasebacks or acquisitions of capital stock, and make loans, guarantees and investments, among other things. In addition, the Credit Facility contains certain financial covenants, the most restrictive of which include: (i) a minimum interest coverage ratio (generally, adjusted EBITDA to interest expense as defined in and for the period specified in the Credit Facility agreement) of at least 4.00:1, and (ii) a leverage ratio (generally, total debt as of any date to adjusted EBITDA as defined in and for the period specified in the Credit Facility agreement) of no greater than 2.75:1. For purposes of the Credit Facility, adjusted EBITDA generally means, for any period, our net income before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, and excluding non-cash stock- based compensation, unrealized mark-to-market gains and losses, certain severance, and certain non-cash non- recurring gains and losses as described in and specified under the Credit Facility. At December 31, 2014, we were in compliance with all financial covenants under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility agreement also contains customary provisions regarding events of default which could result in an acceleration of amounts due under the facility. Such events of default include our failure to pay principal or interest when due, our failure to satisfy or comply with covenants, a change of control, the imposition of certain judgments, the invalidation of liens we have granted and a cross-default to other debt obligations. 37 Contractual Obligations The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2014: ($ in millions) Lease obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Credit Facility, including commitment fee (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . Minimum payments on service contracts (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total $20.5 0.7 13.0 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34.2 Payments Due Less Than 1 Year 1-3 Years 3-5 Years More Than 5 Years $3.7 0.3 4.9 $8.9 $10.7 0.4 7.5 $18.6 $ 3.8 — 0.6 $ 4.4 $ 2.3 — — $ 2.3 (1) At December 31, 2014, we had no amount outstanding under our Credit Facility, which has a variable interest rate. Amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility bear interest at an annual rate equal to, at our option, either LIBOR for interest periods of one, two, three or six months or an alternate base rate, plus, in each case, an applicable margin, that ranges from 0.75% to 2.50%. We are also required to pay an annual commitment fee that ranges from 0.35% to 0.50% on undrawn amounts. Payments due are estimated based on the commitment fee rate of 0.35% in effect on December 31, 2014. (2) Service contracts include contractual amounts that will be due to purchase goods and services to be used in our operations and may be canceled at earlier times than those indicated under certain conditions that may include termination fees. Impact of New Accounting Standards For a discussion of accounting standards, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements We do not invest in any off-balance sheet vehicles that provide liquidity, capital resources, market or credit risk support, or engage in any leasing activities that expose us to any liability that is not reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates The Company’s consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, which requires the use of estimates. Actual results will vary from these estimates. Management believes the following critical accounting policies are important to understanding our results of operations and financial position. Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its subsidiaries and sponsored investment products in which it has a controlling financial interest. The Company is generally considered to have a controlling financial interest when it owns a majority of the voting interest in an entity or otherwise has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the subsidiary. See Note 19 to our consolidated financial statements for additional information related to the consolidation of sponsored investment products. The Company also evaluates any variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company has a variable interest for consolidation. A VIE is an entity in which either (a) the equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its own activities without additional financial support or (b) where as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk do not possess: (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s performance; (ii) the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive expected 38 residual returns of the entity; or (iii) proportionate voting and economic interests and where substantially all of the entity’s activities either involve or are conducted on behalf of the equity holders. If any entity has any of these characteristics, it is considered a VIE and required to be consolidated by its primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary is the entity that has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and has the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Fair Value Measurements and Fair Value of Financial Instruments The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and a valuation hierarchy based upon the transparency of inputs used in the valuation of an asset or liability. Classification within the hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The valuation hierarchy contains three levels as follows: Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets. Level 1 assets and liabilities may include debt securities and equity securities that are traded in an active exchange market. Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets. Level 2 inputs may include observable market data such as closing market prices provided by independent pricing services after considering factors such as the yields or prices of comparable investments of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, call rights and other potential prepayments, terms and type, reported transactions, indications as to values from dealers and general market conditions. In addition, pricing services may determine the fair value of equity securities traded principally in foreign markets when it has been determined that there has been a significant trend in the U.S. equity markets or in index futures trading. Level 2 assets and liabilities may include debt and equity securities, purchased loans and over-the-counter derivative contracts whose fair value is determined using a pricing model without significant unobservable market data inputs. Level 3 – Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable in active exchange markets. The following is a discussion of the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s assets measured at fair value. Sponsored funds represent investments in open-end mutual funds, variable insurance funds and closed-end funds for which we act as the investment manager. The fair value of open-end mutual funds and variable insurance funds is determined based on their published net asset values and are categorized as Level 1. The fair value of closed-end funds is determined based on the official closing price of the exchange they are traded on and are categorized as Level 1. Equity securities include securities traded on active markets and are valued at the official closing price (typically last sale or bid) on the exchange on which the securities are primarily traded and are categorized as Level 1. Nonqualified retirement plan assets represent mutual funds within a nonqualified retirement plan whose fair value is determined based on their published net asset value and are categorized as Level 1. Investments of consolidated sponsored investment products represent the underlying debt and equity securities held in sponsored products which we consolidate. Equity securities are valued at the official closing price on the exchange on which the securities are traded and are categorized within Level 1. Level 2 investments include certain equity securities for which closing prices are not readily available or are deemed to not reflect 39 readily available market prices and are valued using an independent pricing service as well as most debt securities, which are valued based on quotations received from independent pricing services or from dealers who make markets in such securities. Pricing services do not provide pricing for all securities, and therefore indicative bids from dealers are utilized, which are based on pricing models used by market makers in the security and are also included within Level 2. Level 3 investments include debt securities that are not widely traded, are illiquid and are priced by dealers based on pricing models used by market makers in the security. Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities equal or approximate fair value based on the short-term nature of these instruments. Marketable securities are reflected in the condensed consolidated financial statements at fair value based upon publicly quoted market prices. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets As of December 31, 2014, the carrying values of goodwill, indefinite-lived and definite-lived intangible assets was $5.3 million, $32.4 million and $9.4 million, respectively. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of acquisitions over the fair value of identified net assets and liabilities acquired. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are comprised of acquired, closed-end fund investment advisory contracts. For goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, impairment tests are performed annually, or more frequently, should circumstances change, which could reduce the fair value below its carrying value. We have determined that the Company has only one reporting unit for purposes of assessing the carrying value of goodwill. For definite-lived intangible assets, impairment testing is performed whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. If the Company determines the carrying value of the definite-lived intangible assets is less than the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the asset we will quantify the impairment using a discounted cash flow model. The key assumptions in the discounted cash flow model include: the estimated remaining useful life of the intangible asset; the discount rate; investment management fee rates on assets under management; and the market expense ratio factor. Definite-lived intangible assets are comprised of acquired investment advisory contracts. The Company monitors the useful lives of definite-lived intangible assets and revises the useful lives, if necessary, based on the circumstances. Significant judgment is required in estimating the period that these assets will contribute to our cash flows and the pattern over which these assets will be consumed. A change in the remaining useful life of any of these assets could have a significant impact on our amortization expense. All amortization expense is calculated on a straight-line basis. We apply the rules issued in Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment (the revised standard), which amends the rules for testing goodwill for impairment by allowing an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. We apply the rules issued in ASU No. 2012-02, Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment, which provides entities with an option to perform a qualitative assessment of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill for impairment to determine if additional impairment testing is necessary. In assessing the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit for goodwill and each unit of accounting for indefinite-lived intangible assets is less than its carrying amount, we assess relevant events and circumstances that may impact the fair value and the carrying amount for each. The identification of relevant events and circumstances and how these may impact the fair value or carrying amount involve significant judgments and assumptions. The judgment and assumptions include the identification of macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, historical trends 40 in operating margins, trending of each unit’s assets under management levels, overall financial performance, specific events such as secondary offerings and share price trends and making the assessment on whether each relevant factor will impact the impairment test positively or negatively and the magnitude of any such impact. Based upon our fiscal 2014 qualitative impairment analysis for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, prepared in accordance with ASU No. 2011-08 and ASU No. 2012-02, we concluded that there was no requirement to do a quantitative annual goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test. The key qualitative factors that led to our conclusion were: (i) that our last quantitative goodwill impairment analysis indicated that the fair value of our reporting unit significantly exceeded the carrying amount; (ii) that our last quantitative indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment analysis indicated that the fair value of our units of accounting significantly exceeded the carrying amount; (iii) the significant increase in our share price and market capitalization since our last quantitative annual goodwill impairment analysis; (iv) the significant increase in our assets under management since our last quantitative indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment analysis; (v) that we continue to show positive financial performance overall; and (vi) positive operating margins and positive performance of the underlying funds that represent the indefinite-lived intangible assets recorded. During the year ended December 31, 2014, no events or circumstances occurred that indicated the carrying value of definite- lived intangible assets might be impaired and therefore no quantitative impairment tests were performed during this period. No impairments have been identified or recorded by the Company for the year ended December 31, 2014. Significant deterioration in markets or declines in revenues or in the value of the Company could result in future impairment charges. Revenue Recognition Investment management fees, distribution and service fees and administration and transfer agent fees are recorded as revenues during the period in which services are performed. Investment management fees are earned based upon a percentage of assets under management and are paid pursuant to the terms of the respective investment management contracts, which generally require monthly or quarterly payment. The Company accounts for investment management fees in accordance with ASC 605, Revenue Recognition, and has recorded its management fees net of fees paid to unaffiliated advisers. We consider the nature of our contractual arrangements in determining whether to recognize revenue based on the gross amount billed or net amount retained. We have evaluated the factors in ASC 605-45 in determining whether to record revenue on a gross or net basis with significant weight placed on: (i) if we are the primary obligor in the arrangement; and (ii) if we have latitude in establishing price. Amounts paid to unaffiliated subadvisers for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $124.4 million, $96.1 million and $53.7 million, respectively. Investment management fees are calculated based on our assets under management. We rely on data provided to us by mutual funds and custodians in the pricing of assets under management, which are not reflected within our consolidated financial statements. The boards of the mutual funds and the custodians of the assets we manage have formal pricing policies and procedures over pricing of investments. As of December 31, 2014, our total assets under management by fair value hierarchy level as defined by ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, was approximately 58.1% Level 1, 41.8% Level 2 and 0.1% Level 3. Distribution and service fees are earned based on a percentage of assets under management and are paid monthly pursuant to the terms of the respective distribution and service fee contracts. Administration and transfer agent fees consist of fund administration fees, transfer agent fees and fiduciary fees. Fund administration fees are earned based on the average daily assets in the funds. Transfer agent fees are earned based on the average daily assets in the funds. Fiduciary fees are recorded monthly based on the number of 401(k) accounts. The Company utilizes outside service providers to perform some of the functions related to fund administration and shareholder services. 41 Other income and fees consist primarily of redemption income on the early redemption of certain share classes of mutual funds and brokerage commissions and fees earned for the distribution of nonaffiliated products. Commissions earned (and related expenses) are recorded on a trade date basis and are computed based upon contractual agreements. Accounting for Income Taxes We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, which requires recognition of the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year, as well as deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been included in our financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax liabilities and assets result from differences between the book value and tax basis of our assets, liabilities and carry-forwards, such as net operating losses or tax credits. We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Our policy is to record interest and penalties related to income taxes as a component of income tax expense. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes and, in particular, any valuation allowance that is recorded against our deferred tax assets. Our methodology for determining the realizability of deferred tax assets includes consideration of taxable income in prior carryback year(s) if carryback is permitted under the tax law, as well as consideration of the reversal of deferred tax liabilities that are in the same period and jurisdiction and are of the same character as the temporary differences that gave rise to the deferred tax assets. Our methodology also includes estimates of future taxable income from our operations, as well as the expiration dates and amounts of carryforwards related to net operating losses and capital losses. These estimates are projected through the life of the related deferred tax assets based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable and consistent with demonstrated operating results. Changes in future operating results not currently forecasted may have a significant impact on the realization of deferred tax assets. Valuation allowances are provided when it is determined that it is more likely than not that the benefit of deferred tax assets will not be realized. Loss Contingencies The likelihood that a loss contingency exists is evaluated using the criteria of ASC 450, Loss Contingencies, and an accrued liability is recorded if the likelihood of a loss is considered both probable and reasonably estimable at the date of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that we have considered relevant circumstances that we may be currently subject to, and the consolidated financial statements accurately reflect our reasonable estimate of the results of our operations, financial condition and cash flows for the years presented. 42 Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. Market Risk Substantially all of our revenues are derived from investment management, distribution and service, and administration and transfer agent fees, which are based on the market value of assets under management. Accordingly, a decline in the prices of securities would cause our revenues and income to decline due to a decrease in the value of the assets under management. In addition, a decline in security prices could cause our clients to withdraw their investments in favor of other investments offering higher returns or lower risk, which would cause our revenues and income to decline. We are also subject to market risk due to a decline in the market value of our investments, consisting primarily of marketable securities. At December 31, 2014, the fair value of marketable securities was $266.7 million. Assuming a 10.0% increase or decrease in the fair value of marketable securities at December 31, 2014, our net income attributable to common stockholders would change by $15.8 million, and our total comprehensive income would change by $15.9 million, in each case for the year ended December 31, 2014. Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value of future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market interest rates. At December 31, 2014, we were exposed to interest rate risk as a result of holding investments in fixed-income sponsored funds of $101.7 million. Assuming a 1.0% increase or decrease in interest rates, the fair value of our fixed income investments would change by $3.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. At December 31, 2014, we had no amounts outstanding under our Credit Facility. Amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility bear interest at an annual rate equal to, at our option, either LIBOR for interest periods of one, two, three or six months or an alternate base rate (as defined in the Credit Facility agreement), plus, in each case, an applicable margin, that ranges from 0.75% to 2.50%. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. The audited Consolidated Financial Statements, including the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and the required supplementary quarterly information, required by this item are presented under Item 15 beginning on page F-1. Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. None. Item 9A. Controls and Procedures. Disclosure Controls and Procedures We maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports filed or submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based 43 on their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level as of December 31, 2014, the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting As previously disclosed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2014, the Company’s management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, had previously identified a material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The Company failed to design controls upon the adoption of ASC 810-10, as amended by ASU 2009-17, to assess whether it has the potential to receive collateral management fees that could be significant and failed to design appropriate controls over the requirement to continuously reassess its variable interest entities at appropriate levels of precision. As a result, the Company’s analysis of whether it has the potential to receive collateral management fees that could be significant was not at the appropriate levels of precision to determine whether to consolidate certain variable interest entities. This material weakness, if not remediated, could have resulted in a failure to consolidate certain variable interest entities that could result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected. As remediation measures to address the material weakness described above, the Company designed and implemented new and enhanced controls to ensure that the primary beneficiary assessment for variable interest entities is assessed at the appropriate level of precision and that in-house accounting personnel have training to ensure they have the relevant expertise related to the consolidation of variable interest entities. With the implementation of these new and enhanced controls, we have concluded that, as of December 31, 2014, the previously identified material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting has been remediated. The remediation measures discussed above were changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the most recent quarter and materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Other than these remediation measures, there have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our most recent quarter which materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or Rule 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policy or procedures may deteriorate. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we have conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014 based on the framework set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013). Based on this evaluation, management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2014. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 44 Item 9B. Other Information. None. 45 PART III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance. The information concerning the Company’s directors and nominees under the caption “Item 1—Election of Directors,” information concerning the Audit Committee and the “audit committee financial expert” under the caption “Corporate Governance—Audit Committee,” information concerning the Company’s executive officers under the caption “Executive Officers,” and the information under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, are incorporated herein by reference. The Company has adopted a Code of Conduct that applies to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, senior financial officers and all other Company employees, officers and Board members. The Code of Conduct is available on the Company’s website, www.virtus.com, under “Investor Relations,” and is available in print to any person who requests it. Any substantive amendment to the Code of Conduct and any waiver in favor of a Board member or an executive officer may only be granted by the Board of Directors and will be publicly disclosed on the Company’s website, www.virtus.com, under “About Us,” “Investor Relations.” The information concerning procedures by which shareholders may recommend director nominees set forth under the caption “Corporate Governance—Governance Committee—Director Nomination Process” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference. Item 11. Executive Compensation. The information relating to executive compensation and the Company’s policies and practices as they relate to the Company’s risk management is set forth under the captions “Executive Compensation,” “Director Compensation,” “Corporate Governance—Compensation Committee—Risks Related to Compensation Policies and Practices” and “Corporate Governance—Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated herein by reference. The information included under the caption “Executive Compensation—Report of the Compensation Committee” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference but shall be deemed “furnished” (and not “filed”) with this report. Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters. The information set forth under the caption “Security Ownership by Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference. 46 The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2014 with respect to compensation plans under which shares of our common stock may be issued: EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION Plan Category Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) (1) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)(c) Equity compensation plans approved by security holders (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342,760 Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342,760 $18.79 — $18.79 427,781 — 427,781 (1) The weighted-average exercise price set forth in this column is calculated excluding outstanding restricted stock unit awards (“RSUs”) since recipients of such awards are not required to pay an exercise price to receive the shares subject to these awards. The weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights, including RSUs, was $8.93. (2) Represents 162,824 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options and 179,936 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs outstanding under the Company’s Omnibus Incentive and Equity Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”). Of the 1,800,000 maximum number of shares of our common stock authorized for issuance under the Omnibus Plan, 74,935 shares of common stock have been issued on a cumulative basis in the form of direct grants to directors. Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence. The information set forth under the captions “Corporate Governance—Transactions with Related Persons” and “Corporate Governance—Director Independence” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference. Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services. The information regarding auditors fees and services and the Company’s pre-approval policies and procedures for audit and non-audit services to be provided by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm set forth under the caption “Item 2—Ratification of the Appointment of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is incorporated herein by reference. 47 Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules. PART IV (a)(1) Financial Statements: The following Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Consolidated Financial Statements of Virtus are included in this Annual Report: Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (a)(2) Financial Statement Schedules: All financial statement schedules have been omitted because the required information is either presented in the consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto or is not applicable or required. 48 (a)(3) Exhibits: The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated herein by reference: Exhibit Number Exhibit Description (2) 2.1 (3) 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 (4) 4.1 4.2 (10) 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Plan of Acquisition, Reorganization, Arrangement, Liquidation or Succession Separation Agreement, Plan of Reorganization and Distribution by and between The Phoenix Companies, Inc. and the Registrant, dated as of December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant, dated December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant, as adopted on January 28, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed February 2, 2010). Certificate of Designations of Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock and Series B Voting Convertible Preferred Stock of the Registrant, dated October 31, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 2 to Form 10, filed November 14, 2008). Certificate of Amendment of the Certificate of Designations of Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock and Series B Voting Convertible Preferred Stock of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed August 13, 2009). Certificate of Designations of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Registrant, dated December 29, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed January 2, 2009). Instruments Defining the Rights of Security Holders, Including Indentures Note in favor of The Bank of New York Mellon as Lender, dated September 1, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed September 4, 2009). Note in favor of PNC Bank, National Association as Lender, dated September 1, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed September 4, 2009). Material Contracts Transition Services Agreement by and between The Phoenix Companies, Inc. and the Registrant, dated as of December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). Tax Separation Agreement by and between The Phoenix Companies, Inc. and the Registrant, dated December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). Amendment to Tax Separation Agreement, dated April 8, 2009, by and between The Phoenix Companies, Inc. and the Registrant, dated as of December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed April 10, 2009). Employee Matters Agreement by and between The Phoenix Companies, Inc. and the Registrant, dated December 18, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). 49 Exhibit Number *10.5 *10.6 *10.7 *10.8 *10.9 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 *10.14 *10.15 *10.16 10.17 Exhibit Description Change in Control Agreement between George R. Aylward and the Registrant, effective as of December 31, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Registrant’s Amendment No. 4 to Form 10, filed December 19, 2008). Amended and Restated Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. Omnibus Incentive and Equity Plan, effective as of January 1, 2014 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed

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