LV= Asset Management (LVAM) is to outsource its investment arm to Threadneedle as its parent organisation moves to concentrate on its ‘core business’.

Threadneedle is to take over the management of the society’s assets after LV= put its investment business up for sale, earlier this year.

LVAM has just under £8.5 billion in assets under management and has grown, having been spun out of the mutual business to utilise its expertise garnered from with-profits investment management.

The deal pushes Threadneedle into the top five asset managers by total retail and institutional funds under management.

As at May 2011, Threadneedle had more than £22.2 billion under management, while LV= Portfolio Managers had £3.1 billion.

'Star' manager Graham Ashby's UK Equity Income fund would have returned a £1,193 over one year from an initial £1,000 investment.

Over five years the European (Ex-UK) Growth fund - managed by Richard Falle since April this year - would have returned £1,291 from an initial £1,000 investment.

It hired Richard Timberlake and Paul Kim to its multi-manager team earlier this year after the departure of two of its most high-profile fund managers - Tom Caddick and Toby Vaughan – to Santander.

Parent organisation LV= is anticipated to focus on the expansion of its general insurance, protection and retirement products following today’s announcement.

The news is an obvious U-turn from the strategy set out by LVAM at the inception of the division.

In its marketing material, LVAM had committed to ‘keeping its promises’. In a recent customer communication, it said, ‘We believe in active fund management and LVAM aims to establish a strong reputation for consistent long-term performance.’

The dream of a long-term, strong, reputation now appears to be shattered.