Nine mutual fund providers can expect to see stronger than average investment momentum from investors in 2012, according to Boston-based Cogent Research's annual report Investor Brandscape 2012, published earlier this month.  

The study found that over the past year investors have significantly reduced the average number of fund families with which they work, from 1.9 to 1.56. In addition, current investors are three times more likely to increase investments with current managers as they are to redeem investments--an indication of strengthened loyalty to their existing providers, according to John Meunier, research principal at Cogent Research.

"A year ago, it was often the case that more clients were planning to give up on a manager than invest more money,"  Meunier said. "Today, the opposite is true. Investors who stuck it out with their current managers are prepared to grow these relationships."

Among the list of top mutual fund that are expected to benefit from this trend are: Vanguard and T. Rowe Price; Fidelity Advisor Funds; Fidelity Investments; American Funds; Wells Fargo Advantage Funds; Schwab/Laudus Funds; J.P. Morgan Funds; and ING Funds, according to the report.

Cogent's 180-page report is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 4,000 affluent investors.

--Jim McConville