Some experts would be wary of a big drop in assets during rising markets; it can indicate poor strategy, poor shareholder services or other problems.

But each class will have different shareholder services and/or distribution arrangements with different fees and expenses.

Administrators also process subscriptions and redemptions, and perform various shareholder services.

DST Systems, which provides data processing and shareholder services to fund companies, went public in late 1995.

Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended support for the Visx board.

She continued in that role when the center was acquired by Institutional Shareholder Services in 2005.

Institutional Shareholder Services, which advises large investors with portfolios worth more than $2 billion, said two weeks ago that it favored an early spinoff.

"While there might be possible synergies in the back office and shareholder services, we realize now that coming up with a single family of funds is not likely."

Major shareholder advisory services such as Glass Lewis & Company, are recommending that owners vote in favor of the proposal.

The companies also sell money orders, provide shareholder services to mutual fund companies and operate receivables management and debt collection businesses.