A formal name for a company that sells and manages a portfolio of securities. A management investment company is one of the three fundamental types of investment companies, the other two being unit investment trusts and face-amount certificate companies. Management investment companies allow investors to pool their capital with that of other investors in order to purchase professionally-managed groups of diversified securities.

A management investment company is headed by a CEO, a team of officers and a board of directors. These company leaders choose the types of investment products the company will offer, define the fund's objectives and select the people who will run each fund. Management investment companies are subject to rules set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940. Registered management investment companies are also subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.