First Cut Mutual Funds Articles
Mid-Cap Funds Showing Strong & Consistent Relative Performance
October 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks domestic mid-cap stock mutual funds that have performed well within their category and against their peers over the last five years.
October 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks domestic mid-cap stock mutual funds that have performed well within their category and against their peers over the last five years.
Small-Cap Funds Showing Strong & Consistent Relative Performance
September 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks domestic small-cap stock funds that have performed well compared to their peers over the last five years.
September 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks domestic small-cap stock funds that have performed well compared to their peers over the last five years.
Hottest Sector Mutual Funds
August 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
Looking at one-month returns for sector mutual funds gives a picture of what’s happening in the markets currently and which funds are performing better than their peers.
August 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
Looking at one-month returns for sector mutual funds gives a picture of what’s happening in the markets currently and which funds are performing better than their peers.
Lower-Risk, Higher-Yielding Equity Mutual Funds
July 2021 by Charles Rotblut
Striking a balance between a bigger stream of portfolio income and avoiding a higher chance of losing principal, this month’s Mutual Fund First Cut looks at two characteristics: the category risk index and the yield.
July 2021 by Charles Rotblut
Striking a balance between a bigger stream of portfolio income and avoiding a higher chance of losing principal, this month’s Mutual Fund First Cut looks at two characteristics: the category risk index and the yield.
Large-Cap Growth Funds Performing Well Compared to Peers
June 2021 by John Bajkowski
Since domestic large-cap is a core allocation segment and growth has shone over the decade, this month's Funds First Cut seeks out domestic large-cap growth stock funds that have consistently performed well compared to the average fund in this category.
June 2021 by John Bajkowski
Since domestic large-cap is a core allocation segment and growth has shone over the decade, this month's Funds First Cut seeks out domestic large-cap growth stock funds that have consistently performed well compared to the average fund in this category.
Large-Cap Value Funds With Consistent Strong Performance
May 2021 by John Bajkowski
Domestic large-cap stocks are a core segment for most investors, and value approaches have come back in favor recently. To narrow down the list, this month’s Mutual Fund First Cut focuses on those that have performed the best within their peer group over the last five years.
May 2021 by John Bajkowski
Domestic large-cap stocks are a core segment for most investors, and value approaches have come back in favor recently. To narrow down the list, this month’s Mutual Fund First Cut focuses on those that have performed the best within their peer group over the last five years.
Socially Responsible Mutual Funds
April 2021 by Charles Rotblut
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks out funds classified as following a socially responsible approach to investing.
April 2021 by Charles Rotblut
This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks out funds classified as following a socially responsible approach to investing.
International Stock Mutual Funds Outperforming Their Peers
March 2021 by John Bajkowski
Which international stock mutual funds that are open to new investors have a consistent history of outperforming funds in their category?
March 2021 by John Bajkowski
Which international stock mutual funds that are open to new investors have a consistent history of outperforming funds in their category?
Seeking Higher Yields in Short-Term Bond Funds
November 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Screening for short-term bond mutual funds to find sources of higher yields in the record low-interest-rate environment.
November 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Screening for short-term bond mutual funds to find sources of higher yields in the record low-interest-rate environment.
Emerging Markets Mutual Fund Winners
October 2020 by Charles Rotblut
The list of no-load emerging market funds that have outperformed their peers over the past one- and three-year periods is short.
October 2020 by Charles Rotblut
The list of no-load emerging market funds that have outperformed their peers over the past one- and three-year periods is short.
The Lowest-Cost Domestic Equity Mutual Funds
September 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Low expense ratios provide a performance advantage by allowing more of shareholders’ money to stay invested and thereby grow.
September 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Low expense ratios provide a performance advantage by allowing more of shareholders’ money to stay invested and thereby grow.
Lower-Risk, Higher-Yielding Equity Funds
August 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Mutual fund investors seeking higher income but wanting to avoid a higher chance of losing principal can strike a balance by looking at two fund characteristics: the category risk index and the yield.
August 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Mutual fund investors seeking higher income but wanting to avoid a higher chance of losing principal can strike a balance by looking at two fund characteristics: the category risk index and the yield.
Overlooked Active Mutual Funds That Are Outperforming
July 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Finding mutual funds still potentially small enough to continue outperforming requires a screener.
July 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Finding mutual funds still potentially small enough to continue outperforming requires a screener.
ESG Equity Mutual Funds
June 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing attempts to match investors’ investments with their beliefs. This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks out mutual funds classified as following a socially responsible approach to investing.
June 2020 by Charles Rotblut
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing attempts to match investors’ investments with their beliefs. This month’s Mutual Fund First Cut seeks out mutual funds classified as following a socially responsible approach to investing.
Domestic Equity Funds With Low Minimum Investments
April 2020 by Charles Rotblut
A simple screen targeting large diversified equity funds with low initial purchase minimums that may be of interest to investors who are just starting out.
April 2020 by Charles Rotblut
A simple screen targeting large diversified equity funds with low initial purchase minimums that may be of interest to investors who are just starting out.
Consistent Mutual Fund Category Winners
February 2020 by Charles Rotblut
One measure of a good fund is how well it performs relative to its peer group over several periods of time. Funds with a history of besting their competitors can have better managers, a replicable strategy for realizing higher returns, lower expense ratios or a combination of these.
February 2020 by Charles Rotblut
One measure of a good fund is how well it performs relative to its peer group over several periods of time. Funds with a history of besting their competitors can have better managers, a replicable strategy for realizing higher returns, lower expense ratios or a combination of these.
The Best- and Worst-Performing No-Load Mutual Funds
October 2019 by Charles Rotblut
Our first Mutual Fund First Cut identifies the 10 best-performing and 10 worst-performing domestic no-load equity mutual funds.
October 2019 by Charles Rotblut
Our first Mutual Fund First Cut identifies the 10 best-performing and 10 worst-performing domestic no-load equity mutual funds.