ING U.S. Investment Management Becomes Voya Investment Management

NEW YORK, May 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Voya Investment Management, part of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), marks the firm's first day operating under its new brand name. Voya Investment Management, which was formerly known as ING U.S. Investment Management, manages approximately $200 billion in assets with core capabilities that include equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies and solutions.

"This is an exciting day for all of us at Voya Investment Management," said Jeffrey T. Becker, chief executive officer, Voya Investment Management. "As we move forward under our new name, we see continued opportunities to build upon our strong growth over the past several years and the long-term performance track records we have established. While our name is changing, what won't change is our commitment to reliable investing. Our guiding principles of stewardship and service are what drive us as we focus on meeting the needs of our clients — from the largest institutional investors to individuals saving for retirement."

The name change follows the transition of ING U.S., Inc., to Voya Financial, Inc., on April 7, 2014. Voya Financial is rebranding all of its businesses during 2014 following its separation from ING Group and initial public offering in May 2013. Voya Financial has three business lines:  Retirement Solutions, Investment Management and Insurance Solutions. Each business line supports the company's overarching goal to help Americans advance their retirement readiness.

The "Voya" name was coined from the word "voyage" to reflect momentum and optimism, and a view towards the future. The color orange also remains a distinct attribute of the brand.

"In coordination with the rebranding efforts for all of Voya Financial's businesses, we have taken a planned and deliberate approach to introducing the Voya Investment Management name to our clients, their advisors and distribution partners over the past year," said Toby Hoden, managing director and chief marketing officer, Voya Investment Management. "From our direct, proactive outreach to clients, to our transitional advertising, we have been focused on building awareness and excitement for our new brand, while also ensuring clients of our commitment to the investment philosophy that we continue to adhere to as an organization."

The fastest-growing segment of Voya Financial, Voya Investment Management has added significant assets under management and attracted a growing and diverse client base over the past several years. In 2013, total assets under management grew to approximately $200 billion, with commercial assets up 19% from year-end 2012 and up over 48% from year-end 2010. In addition, Voya Investment Management achieved positive net flows of $8.8 billion in 2013 and $24.3 billion over the past three years.

The new brand name comes as Voya Investment Management, a top-20 manager of U.S. institutional assets[1], has continued to build its reputation in the marketplace as a high-performing manager with 97% of traditional fixed income assets and 84% of equity assets outperforming their benchmarks on a five-year basis as of year-end 2013[2].

"One of the attributes that has defined us for many years is our service-oriented culture, which is built upon a deep understanding of our clients' needs. We are bottom-up, research-driven and employ disciplined investment processes that seek to generate reliable, risk-adjusted returns over the long-term," added Becker.

In March 2014, Voya Intermediate Bond Fund (IIBWX) (formerly known as ING Intermediate Bond Fund) and Voya GNMA Income Fund (LEINX) (formerly known as ING GNMA Income Fund) were named number-one performers in their respective categories at the Lipper Fund Awards 2014 for the three-year period ending December 31, 2013. The Lipper Awards recognize funds that have demonstrated consistent, strong risk-adjusted returns against their peers.

About Voya Investment Management

A leading, active asset management firm, Voya Investment Management manages, as of December 31, 2013, approximately $200 billion for affiliated and external institutions as well as individual investors. With 40 years of history in asset management, Voya Investment Management has the experience and resources to provide clients with investment solutions with an emphasis on equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies and solutions. For more information, visit voyainvestments.com. Follow Voya Investment Management on Twitter @VoyaInvestments.

About Voya Financial

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), which has rebranded from ING U.S., is comprised of premier retirement, investment and insurance companies serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States. The company's vision is to be America's Retirement Company™ and its guiding principle is centered on solving the most daunting financial challenge facing Americans today — retirement readiness. Working directly with clients and through a broad group of financial intermediaries, independent producers, affiliated advisors and dedicated sales specialists, Voya provides a comprehensive portfolio of asset accumulation, asset protection and asset distribution products and services. With a dedicated workforce of approximately 7,000 employees, Voya is grounded in a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time. For more information, visit voya.com.  Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

Investment Risks for Voya Intermediate Bond Fund W:

All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of return and yield inherent in investing. High-Yield Securities, or "junk bonds", are rated lower than investment-grade bonds because there is a greater possibility that the issuer may be unable to make interest and principal payments on those securities. To the extent that the Fund invests in Mortgage-Related Securities, its exposure to prepayment and extension risks may be greater than investments in other fixed-income securities. The Fund may use Derivatives, such as options and futures, which can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance. Foreign Investing does pose special risks including currency fluctuation, economic and political risks not found in investments that are solely domestic. As Interest Rates rise, bond prices fall, reducing the value of the Fund's share price. Other risks of the Fund include but are not limited to: Credit Risks; Extension Risks; Investment Models Risks; Municipal Securities Risks; Other Investment Companies' Risks; Prepayment Risks; Price Volatility Risks; U.S. Government Securities and Obligations Risks; Inability to Sell Securities Risks; Portfolio Turnover Risks; and Securities Lending Risks. Investors should consult the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed discussion of the Fund's risks.

Investment Risks for Voya GNMA Income Fund I:

All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of return and yield inherent in investing. As Interest Rates rise, bond prices fall, reducing the value of the Fund's share price. To the extent that the Fund invests in asset-backed, Mortgage-Backed or Mortgage-Related Securities, its exposure to prepayment and extension risks may be greater than investments in other fixed-income securities. While the Fund invests in securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government as to timely payments of interest and principal, the Fund shares are Not Insured or Guaranteed. Other risks of the Fund include but are not limited to: Credit Risks; Extension Risks; Other Investment Companies' Risks; Prepayment Risks; U.S. Government Securities and Obligations Risks; and Securities Lending Risks. Investors should consult the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed discussion of the Fund's risks.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund(s) carefully before investing. For a free copy of the Fund's prospectus, which contains this and other information, visit us at www.voyainvestments.com or call Voya Funds at (800) 992-0180. Please read prospectus carefully before investing.

Lipper Awards are granted annually to the funds in each Lipper classification that achieve the highest score for Consistent Return, a measure of funds' historical risk-adjusted returns, measured in local currency, relative to peers. Winners are selected using the Lipper Leader rating for Consistent Return for funds with at least 36 months of performance history as of 12/31/13. Awards are presented for the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return within each eligible classification over 3, 5 or 10 years. Other share classes may have different performance and expense characteristics. Class I and Class NAV shares are not available for purchase by all investors. Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. is an independent mutual fund research and rating service. Although Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Lipper. Lipper awards are not intended to predict future results. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

The Voya Intermediate Bond Fund W (IIBWX) Lipper Rankings as of 2/28/14 in the Core Bond funds category: 5 Year 6% (22/389), 10 Years N/A. The Voya GNMA Income Fund I (LEINX) Lipper Rankings as of 2/28/14 in the GNMA funds category: 5 Year 28% (17/60), 10 Years 34% (17/50).

[1] Pensions & Investments Money Manager Directory May 2013 (Based on data as of 12/31/2012)

[2] Metrics are asset-weighted on a gross-of-fees basis and inclusive of investment portfolios managed within the company's "traditional" (long-only) institutional and mutual fund lines of business.

SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.