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Our annual mutual fund guide provides information and performance statistics on 727 funds.
Do the Top ETFs Continue to Outperform? September 2018 The returns of the 10 highest-returning ETFs are looked at to see whether they continue to beat the market and their category peers.
The Four Groups of ETFs August 2017 Viewing ETFs as being vanilla, active, strategic or idiosyncratic makes it easier to understand their strategies and how they differ.
Leveraged ETFs: Multiplying by the Unknown July 2017 The returns realized by an investor will be below what these ETFs’ names suggest due to the decay in realized leverage over time.
Why Aren’t There More Active ETFs? October 2015 A requirement to reveal holdings daily has deterred active managers from launching ETFs; NextShares thinks it has a solution.
How to Measure the Skills of Your Fund Manager April 2015 The statistical measure R-squared can reveal whether a fund manager is a closet indexer or is truly following a strategy different than the benchmark index.
An Inside Look at Exchange-Traded Funds September 2014 ETFs, like mutual funds, are pooled investments, but two primary features promote trading of an ETF’s price close to its underlying value.
Common Investor Mistakes and Other Investing Insights July 2014 In the second part of our interview with John Bogle, he discusses how investors commonly put too much emphasis on past performance. Plus, he offers his views on high-frequency trading.
Qualitative Guidelines for Mutual Fund Selection June 2014 Looking at the type and frequency of communications, portfolio holdings, manager stability and expense ratio caps can help with the fund selection process.
Achieving Greater Long-Term Wealth Through Index Funds June 2014 Index investors, in aggregate, are likely to realize higher returns because of lower costs and the effect of reversion to the mean on active strategies.
The Mutual Fund Cash Dilemma May 2014 While most mutual fund managers are required to stay invested, some have the flexibility to raise their cash allocations, raising an allocation dilemma for shareholders.
ETFs and ETNs: Knowing What You Own August 2013 The liquidity composition of a fund’s underlying assets, the historical tracking error and fees are important characteristics to consider when investing in an ETF.
Money Funds and the Regulators June 2013 Following the 2008 financial crisis, there has been debate about how much regulatory change is needed, including whether floating net asset values should be required.
Using ETFs in a Tough, Sideways-to-Bear Market August 2012 ETFs are effective tools for converting strategies into action, but first you have to identify your objectives and tolerance for risk.
The Individual Investor’s Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds 2012 August 2012 Detailed return information and data on ETFs and ETNs. New to this year’s guide is market performance, which helps identify funds that have traded at a premium or discount to their net asset value.
Active Funds and Other Changes in the ETF Industry August 2011 The number of actively managed ETFs could soon double, adding to the industry’s growth. These changes will result in more choices for investors.
The Truth About Top-Performing Mutual Fund Managers July 2011 Top-performing mutual fund managers will likely underperform their benchmarks at some point, but investors are usually rewarded for sticking with them.
How to Safely Navigate Through Crowded ETF Waters October 2010 The proliferation of ETFs has provided more choices, but not all offerings are good investments. Learn how to select the best ETFs for your portfolio.
The Individual Investor's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds 2010 October 2010 Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continue to grow in popularity. There are now approximately 330 ETFs that each manage more than $200 million in assets. To put this number into perspective, five years ago, many of these funds didn’t even exist.
The Top Funds Over Five Years: Finding Common Themes in a Volatile Market March 2010 Our annual review of the mutual funds with the highest performance over the past five years shows that diversification worked. See which funds led their categories and which five funds delivered the highest returns overall.
The Dividend Yield: Stock Mutual Funds and ETFs That Generate Income November 2008 Looking for an investment that has the potential to produce a growing income stream and long-term capital appreciation along with reasonable risk? A closer look at stock mutual funds and ETFs with relatively high dividend yields.
Rolling the Currency Dice: Investing in International Bond Funds June 2008 The search for yield and the weak U.S. dollar have prompted investors to consider investing in foreign bond mutual funds. However, these funds have unique risks that are magnified by the ebb and flow of the currency markets. A careful look is in order before you let your money travel overseas.
Peerless Performers: The Top Funds Over 5 Years April 2008 To be rated tops, a mutual fund must beat a benchmark, and the crucial benchmark is peer group performance over five years. Who are the current top performers, and how did they outperform their peers? A look at the top funds and how they managed to distinguish themselves.
Face Off: Mutual Funds vs. ETFs June 2007 Exchange-traded funds are America's "financial idol." But what do ETFs have that index mutual funds don't--and vice versa? A side-by-side comparison reveals little difference.
"Enhanced" Index Funds: Can They Beat the Market? May 2007 A skeptical look at the new breed of "indexers" who focus on weighting portfolios by fundamental factors, such as dividends and cash flows, rather than market capitalizations.
Mutual Fund Marathon: The Top Funds Over Five Years: 2002-2006 April 2007 Mutual funds are judged by their track records, and for long-term investors it is the five-year marathon that is key. Who were the top performers, and what allowed them to survive the marathon run and come out on top? A look at the winners--and how they did it.
Developing a Withdrawal Strategy for Your Fund Portfolio November 2006 Mutual funds hold one advantage for retirees living off of their retirement savings - their structure makes the withdrawal process easier. However, mutual funds do not eliminate all the challenges or automatically answer all portfolio questions. How to develop a withdrawal strategy for a typical mutual fund portfolio.
The Top Funds Over Five Years: 2001-2005 Survival of the Fittest April 2006 The last five years provided the ultimate financial stress test for mutual funds and investors. Some funds flunked, and a few proved to be in top shape. What made these top performers so fit? A look at who survived--and how they did it.
Capitalizing on the Index Fund Advantage November 2005 Stock index funds offer rock-bottom expense ratios, tax efficiency, diversification and simplicity. But how do you sort through the myriad stock index funds and the numerous stock indexes they follow? An investor’s guide to indexes and index funds.
The Individual Investor's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds October 2005 Our annual guide to over 180 exchange-traded funds--portfolio baskets of securities that look like mutual funds but trade like stocks. Includes a complete listing of all existing stock and fixed-income exchange-traded funds, plus articles on what you need to know about investing in them.
The EZ Approach to ETF Portfolio Building October 2005 Despite the dizzying array of complicated investment products to choose among, there is a simple way to build a low-cost, low-maintenance, fully diversified portfolio. And all you need are a few key exchange-traded funds. A look at the low-hassle ETF portfolio.
The Individual Investor's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds 2005 October 2005 Our annual guide to over 180 exchange-traded funds--portfolio baskets of securities that look like mutual funds but trade like stocks. Includes a complete listing of all existing stock and fixed-income exchange-traded funds, plus articles on what you need to know about investing in them.
Does Your Portfolio Need an Addition? Think Real Estate Funds June 2005 Real estate funds have had quite a run over the last five years, and the bull market may or may not be over. But these funds hold charm for investors beyond just the potential for high raw returns.
Tailoring Your Allocation to the Stage You're In With Life Cycle Funds November 2004 Life cycle mutual funds are designed to make the asset allocation decision easy - one fund for one individual based on their stage in life. But nothing is ever easy. What do you need to know about life cycle mutual funds? A look at what 401(k) investors need to know.
Allocation Over Time: Life Cycle Mutual Funds November 2004 Mutual Funds: Life cycle mutual funds are designed to make investing easier by providing an all-in-one lifetime asset allocation package. But the selection process is more complex than it sounds. A comparison of the packages.
The Individual Investor's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds, 2nd Edition October 2004 Mutual Funds: Our annual guide to the hot new competitors to index mutual funds includes a complete listing of over 150 stock and fixed-income exchange-traded funds, plus articles on what you need to know to about investing in them.
The Emerging Markets Re-Emerge: Funds Get Hot Again April 2004 Emerging markets stock and bond funds are re-emerging to reclaim their status as true growth investments. But they are still relatively exotic, and appropriate only for investors with longer horizons and an understanding of the risks.
Scandal! What Should You Do With Your Funds? January 2004 What should individual investors do in the face of news stories concerning legal and moral failures within the mutual fund industry? Steps you should take with your mutual funds.
Searching for Dividend Yield From Your Stock Mutual Funds November 2003 Searching for more yield? One place to look is among stock funds with high dividend yields. Not only do dividend-paying stock funds have a growth component, qualified dividends receive advantageous tax rates under the new laws.
The Individual Investor's Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds October 2003 Our comprehensive listing covers 130 exchange-traded funds that track almost every index imaginable. They range from the broad-based to single sectors, REITs, domestic and international, and even fixed income.
Taking the Load Off of "Must Have" Fully Loaded Funds July 2003 Many mutual funds that are sold with sales charges offer discounts if you are investing larger amounts of money. The size of the discount varies, depending upon the amount of the investment and the breakpoint schedule of the fund.
Taking the Load Off of "Must Have" Fully Loaded Funds July 2003 If you are investing larger amounts of money, many mutual funds that are sold with sales charges offer discounts. The size of the discount varies, depending upon the amount of the investment and the breakpoint schedule of the fund.
Micro-Cap Mutual Funds: Searching for the Future Giants April 2003 Micro-cap stocks are not as well covered as larger-cap stocks, and as a result a fund manager has a greater chance of adding significant value. They also do not track the overall market perfectly, adding to portfolio diversification.
New Horizons: Introducing Exchange-Traded Bond Funds January 2003 Bond ETFs offer benefits similar to those of stock ETFs, such as low cost, diversification, the ability to trade shares throughout the day, and the ability to short a portfolio.
Your Mutual Fund Portfolio: Choosing the Level of Complexity November 2002 Using the three-tiered mutual fund portfolio guideline, you can create any mutual fund portfolio you want that comfortably matches your investor profile in terms of complexity, yet still remain properly diversified.
Your Mutual Fund Portfolio: Choosing the Level of Complexity November 2002 Using the three-tiered mutual fund portfolio guideline, you can create any mutual fund portfolio you want that comfortably matches your investor profile in terms of complexity, yet still remain properly diversified.
One-Stop Mutual Fund Shopping: A Guide to the Discount Brokers October 2002 Switching funds within a family is relatively easy, but switching among fund families has significant costs in time and paperwork. With mutual fund supermarkets, one phone call will do it.
Diversification: How to Get Broad Exposure Overseas August 2002 Overseas markets have become better places to invest as foreign economies move toward a U.S.-style model. In addition, the recently expanded coverage provided by the MSCI EAFE index is good news for foreign index fund investors.
What You Need to Know About Investing in Bond Mutual Funds July 2002 While bond funds share a number of characteristics with individual bonds, they should not be viewed as interchangeable investments. Indeed, bond funds differ from individual bonds in some important respects.
Fund Expenses: Class Matters When Buying Multi-Class Shares June 2002 Share classes are for the same fund but involve different fee structures. The best class for you will vary depending on several factors, but the costs of choosing the wrong class can be considerable.
Fund Expenses: Class Matters When Buying Multi-Class Fund Shares June 2002 Share classes are for the same fund but involve different fee structures. The best class for you will vary depending on several factors, but the costs of choosing the wrong class can be considerable.
Fund Investors' Biggest Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them May 2002 Fund investors are not immune to mistakes, and fund managers can compound mistakes made by fund owners. One of the biggest mistakes is overconfidence, and the stock market is highly effective at deflating overblown egos.
Fund Investors' Biggest Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them May 2002 Fund investors are not immune to mistakes, and fund managers can compound mistakes made by fund owners. One of the biggest mistakes is overconfidence, and the stock market is highly efffective at deflating overblown egos.
How to Rate a Mutual Fund: Personalizing the Star System April 2002 Mutual Funds: The funds that made it into AAII's Top Funds Guide are of investor interest and are readily available, with low expenses and no or low loads, above-average returns, and they have not "bought" their returns with mountainous risk.
How to Rate a Mutual Fund: Personalizing the Star System April 2002 The funds that made it into AAII's Top Funds Guide are of investor interest and are readily available, with low expenses and no or low loads, above-average returns, and they have not "bought" their returns with mountainous risk.
What You Need to Know About Mutual Funds and Taxes February 2002 Mutual fund tax report statements are sent to shareholders in late January. They are important because you need to add distributions to your original cost basis when figuring gains or losses on shares sold.
Financial Check-Up: Figuring Out Your Mutual Fund Portfolio August 2001 A simple worksheet for your mutual fund portfolio allows you to see what it may generate over time in terms of income, return, and risk. It also allows you to see the trade-offs that can occur with different allocations.
Beyond the Numbers: Getting to Know a Manager April 1998 At some point you have to look beyond the performance statistics to see who made them happen, so you can form some kind of judgment about future performance.
