Legg Mason is launching a US equity income fund as it expands its presence in the UK retail investor market.

The ICVC version of its US equity income strategy will launch in the middle of October 2011 and will be managed by New York-based ClearBridge Advisors.

ClearBridge is Legg Mason’s US equities subsidiary and has £35.5 billion (US $58 billion) in assets under management.

The division’s chief investment officer Hersh Cohen will manage the fund along with Peter Vanderless and Michael Clarfeld – both managing directors and portfolio managers.

This retail fund launch which is the first addition to Legg Mason’s UK ICVC range in three years, will follow ClearBridge’s US Equity Income Builder strategy which the company claims has delivered an average annual return of 11.1 per cent since launch in September 2008.

Legg Mason says the fund will aim to generate income through companies that already pay an attractive income but have the capacity to further grow their income stream over time.

Adam Gent, head of UK sales at Legg Mason, said the ClearBridge team has a long track record in managing income-generating portfolios, which should ensure a strong performance from the beginning.

He explained, ‘The US Equity Income Builder Strategy has been a fantastic success in the US both in terms of investor interest and performance. It is perfectly placed to benefit from the growing propensity for US companies to pay and raise dividends.

‘UK investors have typically shied away from the US for income but US companies have never been in better health and are currently sitting on approximately US $2 trillion of cash, much of which will be returned to shareholders as domestic demand for income continues to grow.’

Gent said that the UK retail market will be a key focus for Legg Mason in the coming years and the launch of this fund on its onshore ICVC platform demonstrates its commitment to offering UK investors access to its leading strategies in the format they demand.

The initial charge is 4.25 per cent and the annual management fee is 1.5 per cent.