Best No Load Mutual Funds: Mutual Fund Fees and Mutual Fund Expenses

by: Sam Subramanian

While searching for the best no load mutual funds, some mutual fund investors often tend to focus exclusively on mutual fund fees and expense ratios. Is this always a smart way to select mutual funds?

Metrics such as price/earnings ratio and dividend yield on the S&P 500 index, a commonly used proxy for the U.S. stock market, are hardly at bargain levels. This has lead several market pundits to predict single digit annual returns for domestic mutual funds over the next decade.

While pursuing the search for the best mutual fund, some mutual fund investors tend to focus exclusively on fees and expense ratios. The rationale is that by choosing mutual funds with low fees, investors will have more of their capital invested. Also, no load mutual funds with low expense ratios will pass on more of the returns they earn to their shareholders.

Is shopping for the lowest fees and expense ratios a smart way to select mutual funds? Not always. The answer depends on the type of mutual fund you are evaluating, the time you can devote to evaluating and managing your mutual funds investments, and the type of cost incurred.

Investing in the Best No Load Index Mutual Funds.

If you believe markets are generally efficient and prefer to invest in an index mutual fund to achieve an index-like return, shopping for the best index mutual fund based on low fees and a low expense ratio makes good sense. The portfolio manager of an index mutual fund endeavors to invest the fund’s assets to track the index as closely and cost-effectively as possible. Larger index funds have an advantage in that they can spread their operating costs over a larger asset base.

Some of the interesting index mutual fund options currently available include no load index mutual funds like E*Trade S&P 500 Index Fund (Nasdaq: ETSPX), Fidelity Spartan 500 Index Fund (Nasdaq: FSMKX), and Vanguard 500 Index Fund (Nasdaq: VFINX) with expense ratios of 0.09%, 0.10%, and 0.18%, respectively.

Investing in Actively Managed Mutual Funds and Strategies.

Mutual fund fees and expenses are just one of several important factors to consider if you believe portfolio managers can add value and out-perform the index through active management. The portfolio manager’s ability and investing style are just as important. Therefore, seeking out the best mutual fund based on just low fees and a low expense ratio may not always be the right approach. It may just be a case of being ‘penny-wise and pound-foolish’.

Legendary investor Peter Lynch, who managed the Fidelity Magellan Fund (Nasdaq: FMAGX) from 1977 to 1990, achieved returns well in excess of the market averages even after accounting for the fund’s fees and expenses.

So too has Bill Miller who currently manages the Legg Mason Value Trust (Nasdaq: LMVTX). Even after accounting for its relatively high 1.7% expense ratio, this no load mutual fund has achieved compound annual returns of 18.6% for the 10 year period ending in 2004, well in excess of 12.0% for the Vanguard 500 Index mutual fund.

AlphaProfit, an investment research firm that specializes in active sector investing, uses the no load Fidelity Select Funds to implement its investing strategy through its Core™ and Focus™ model portfolios. Although not the lowest, the expense ratio of the no load Fidelity Select Funds compares favorably with that of other sector fund offerings. AlphaProfit prefers Fidelity Selects for their comprehensive coverage of sectors and industry groups. The AlphaProfit model portfolios have significantly outperformed the market averages over time.

Ensure Your Mutual Fund Puts Your Interest First.

Whether you prefer to index or take an active approach to managing your investments, ensuring that your mutual fund is putting your interests first is good investing practice.

Mutual funds charge different types of fees. By looking at some key factors pertaining to fees, you can get a sense of whether the mutual fund puts your interests first or merely seeks to line the mutual fund company’s pockets.

Serving the Interests of Long-Term Shareholders. Some mutual funds impose short-term trading fees to discourage frequent trading of mutual fund shares. Frequent trading disrupts efficient management of the mutual fund and increases operating expenses. A short-term trading fee can therefore actually be beneficial to long-term shareholders if the fee is rightly treated by the mutual fund company.

Fidelity Spartan Total Market Index Fund (Nasdaq: FSTMX), for example, follows the practice of returning short-term trading fees collected on shares held less than 90 days to the mutual fund itself rather than passing on the benefit to the mutual fund company. By having this short-term trading fee structure, this no load mutual fund seeks to contain its operating expenses. Such fees are therefore aligned with the interests of long-term shareholders of this mutual fund.

Passing on Savings from Scale Economies. The operating expenses incurred by a mutual fund are a combination of fixed and variable costs. As the asset of a mutual fund increases, the fixed cost gets spread over a larger asset base. Therefore, the expenses incurred to operate the mutual fund as a percentage of the fund’s assets should trend lower.

A mutual fund that places the interest of shareholders first must pass on the savings from scale economies to the shareholders. The trend in a mutual fund’s expense ratio therefore serves as a metric of how seriously a fund takes its fiduciary responsibility.

Key Points.

1. If you are searching for the best no load index mutual fund, shopping for one with low fees and expenses makes perfect sense.
2. If active management of investments appeals to you, fees and expenses are just one of several important factors to consider.

The ability and investing style of the portfolio manager are at least just as important as fees.

3. The types of fees a mutual fund charges and how the fund uses the fees provides clues as to how seriously a mutual fund takes its fiduciary responsibility.

Mutual funds that impose fees to contain operating expenses and return fees to the mutual fund help protect the interests of long-term shareholders.

4. Mutual funds that put the shareholders’ interests first typically pass on savings from scale economies to the shareholders.

Notes: This report is for information purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice. This report does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. The information contained in this report is obtained from various sources believed to be accurate and is provided without warranties of any kind. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC does not represent that this information, including any third party information, is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC is not responsible for any errors or omissions herein. Opinions expressed herein reflect the opinion of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC and are subject to change without notice. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC disclaims any liability for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information in this report. The third-party trademarks or service marks appearing within this report are the property of their respective owners. All other trademarks appearing herein are the property of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Owners and employees of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC for their own accounts invest in the Fidelity Mutual Funds included in the AlphaProfit Core and Focus model portfolios. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC neither is associated with nor receives any compensation from Fidelity Investments or other mutual fund companies mentioned in this report. Past performance is neither an indication of nor a guarantee for future results. No part of this document may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Copyright © 2005 AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. All rights reserved.

About The Author Sam Subramanian, PhD, MBA is Managing Principal of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. He edits the AlphaProfit Sector Investors' Newsletter™, a publication that discusses investments using Fidelity mutual funds. For the 5 year period ending December 31, 2004, during which the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index declined 6.9%, the AlphaProfit model portfolios increased by up to 186.2%, an average annual return of 23.4%. To learn more about AlphaProfit and to subscribe to the FREE newsletter, visit http://www.alphaprofit.com .

The Right Mutual Funds For Baby Boomers

by: C .C . Collins

The Right Mutual Funds For Baby Boomers By C.C. Collins, Wealth Strategist, http://wealthscientist.com
If you are a baby boomer, time is not on your side. Many baby boomers see retirement age fast approaching with little to nothing in the way of retirement assets that will allow them to actually retire and live a comfortable lifestyle.
With the benefit of time in short supply, substantial investment performance in a shorter than normal time frame becomes strikingly important.
Mutual Fund Advice A case could be made that a special type of mututal fund, an index mutual fund, in conjunction with careful market trend analysis (not predictive market timing) could be used to achieve higher returns faster than a standard mutual fund.
As to the specific type of index fund to consider using, investors would do well to "keep it simple" and use an index fund that tracks well known indexes like the S&P 500, Nasdaq100, and Wilshire 2000.
Index funds that track any of the major indexes are just taking advantage of the concept of diversification. The only remaining risk is whether the entire market goes up or goes down and one can switch to a fund that is designed to profit from a down market when such action is called for.
There are very few active investment managers that outperform index funds or exchange traded funds over a five year or greater period. This is why an index fund is recommended in the case of baby boomer-aged investors who need stellar performance over shorter time frames.
Mutual Fund Selection
Mutual Fund Action plan
Mutual Fund Research
Mutual Fund Investment tools
About The Author
C.C. Collins is a Financial Planning Advisor and Author of “Scientific Wealth Strategies” at http://wealthscientist.com. Find more information at http://networthpublishing.com

Surviving Without Mutual Funds

by: Steve Selengut

STOP! Do not read another word! Advance mouse to Investopedia.com. Do not pass GO. Do not collect another prospectus.
The NYSE advance-decline line has been positive for nearly six years! (Contact the Author for the Spreadsheet.)
What is wrong with the averages? How sick are the Mutual Funds?
Here are some questions you should be asking. 1) Is there "Investment Life" after Mutual Funds? 2) What is the average investor/speculator to do? (3) Who can you trust? (4) Why are people still throwing money at the corrupt Mutual Funds? 5) Is there a safe(r) alternative? 6) Can a financial professional function without funds? (7) Did Mutual Funds make YOU lose money over the past several years? (Answers below.)
Investing always involves more questions than answers, and the idea that Wall Street has those answers and that they are imbedded in the products that they market to the "moneyed" public, is simply part of the brainwashing of the American investor. So, too, is the myth that Mutual Funds are a safer investment mechanism than a properly constructed portfolio of individual securities. Perhaps they should be, in concept. In reality, they haven't been for decades.
Investors have always searched for a safe and easy way to protect and to grow their portfolios. This used to be accomplished by applying a combination of management and investment principles to the process. A diversified portfolio of high quality, profitable companies, and an appropriate amount of less volatile income producers was pretty easy to create, to manage, and to monitor.
It still is, when you realize that investing is not a competitive event. The original Mutual Fund managers actually knew how to do this, were paid to do it, and were not at all influenced by the incredible confluence of outside forces that impacts their decision making today. In their original form, Mutual Funds were Trustee directed within the retirement benefit community, and a stepping-stone to a properly diversified, individual security portfolio on the personal level. Before the three-ring Wall Street circus came to town, there were only two "classes" of securities, retirement programs were not self-directed, the DJIA was an economic indicator, investing was a personal goal directed activity, and the Yankees won the American league pennant most of the time.
Almost everything (except the Yankees) changed with the onslaught of the "new generation" of Mutual Fund marketeers and self-directed retirement vehicles. Wall Street invented market prediction techniques and new subdivisions of securities; investment products were mass-produced in every shape, size, model, and color, with great financial planning success; sales literature was sold as research/analysis, and financial institutions became indistinguishable from one another. People pay extra not to collect current interest and loss-taking is seen as a good idea. Unproven team-player Mutual Fund managers receive signing bonuses that would shock professional athletes, and 60-second sound bites on CNBC define today's investment reality to the masses. A calendar year is now long-term, buy high/sell low a religion, and absolutely everyone, from accountants to wedding planners, can sell Mutual Funds for extra cash. Wall Street is Las Vegas in pinstripes and red suspenders.
Are today's late trading, market timing, and executive suite scandals going to change things dramatically? It's doubtful, simply because Mutual Funds are so profitable for the institutions, so mindlessly easy to sell for financial professionals, AND the only available investment medium for hundreds of millions of employees throughout the country! But is there a better way to invest safely and profitably in spite of all the problems? You can’t afford to be lazy anymore. Learn how to manage a high quality, diversified portfolio of individual securities.
Answering the six questions raised in the first paragraph, from the pages of the Business Best Seller: "The Brainwashing of the American Investor". Yes Virginia, there is investment life after Mutual Funds. (2) Rediscover individual securities, after taking a crash course in the principles of investing. (3) Trust yourself, once you've taken the course. (4) Most investors have no choice but to use Funds, the others learn their lessons slowly. (5) Yes, individual securities in a plain vanilla investment plan can be much safer. (6) Some planners have de-toxed from funds, but it's a lot more like work. Most won't try. (7) Nope, you'll have to take the blame for the losses yourself.
About The Author
Steve Selengut sanserve@aol.com steve@sancoservices.com 800-245-0494 Professional Portfolio Manager – Separate Accounts Only, & No OE Mutual Funds Author of: "The Brainwashing of the American Investor: The Book that Wall Street Does Not Want YOU to Read”, and “A Millionaire’s Secret Investment Strategy”

How to Evaluate Load vs. No Load Mutual Funds

by: Ulli G. Niemann

If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any length of time, you undoubtedly have faced the question of which is better: Load Funds or No Load Funds. If you are new to investing, "load" simply refers to the commission paid to the broker selling the fund. "No load" means there is no commission on the purchase or sale.
Most discussions in the past have centered exclusively on performance comparisons. Even rating services like Morningstar have occasionally chimed in with their opinion. However, rather than focusing only on performance, there are some other issues I consider far more important:
Who is selling load funds and why?
Who markets no load funds?
Which one is right for you?
Who is selling load funds and why? Most load funds are being sold through brokerage houses, financial planners and Registered Representatives. With few exceptions, most of those folks operate on the basis of selling as much product as possible. They collect their commissions up front, as a back end charge, or both (usually in the range of 5 - 6%). Whether you make money or not is not their primary concern. What matters most to those operating under this approach is how often you buy—and thereby generate new commissions for them.
Who markets no load funds? No Load funds are either marketed directly by the mutual fund companies or, more commonly these days, offered through discount houses like Schwab, Fidelity, and many others. The advantage to this is that you have an unlimited choice of funds in one place and don't have to open separate accounts for each mutual fund family that you are considering.
Most fee based investment advisors, like myself, have independent relationships with such major discount firms and are able to offer clients just about any no load mutual fund available. They receive no compensation from the firm and only get paid by the client at a pre-determined fee arrangement. Under this arrangement, there is no hidden motivation to sell you a particular fund or to try and sell more in order to get a larger commission.
Which one is right for you? Whether you prefer dealing with someone selling load funds or an advisor getting you into no loads, let me make one thing very clear: You can make money or lose money either way! Why?
Let’s assume for the moment that there is no difference in performance between the types of funds—some of either kind will do well and some of either kind won't. What then determines the successful outcome of you buying either a load or a no load fund?
The key is the advice you’re getting. And the fact is that many brokerage houses and Registered Representatives tend to be more interested in their profits than yours. Their investment advice is generally centered around Buy and Hold or dollar cost averaging and similar financially questionable recommendations. Hardly ever will you receive advice about when and why you should exit the market, either because of accumulated profits or to limit your losses. Getting out of the market is simply not in their best interest, though it may be in yours.
I must confess that, as a fee based advisor, I am somewhat biased and I prefer no load funds for my clients. I believe that this type of arrangement is best for all parties involved. It allows me to avoid any conflict of interest and to work exclusively for my clients’ financial benefit. And the better my clients do, the better I do.
I am able to choose no load funds and make buy decisions solely on the basis of my mutual fund trend tracking methodology. Following its signals, I can get clients into the market or out of it as often as is necessary to maximize profit or protect assets. And because I work with no load funds, other than a very occasional short term redemption fee, there are no transaction charges no matter how many times we move into or out of the market.
If market conditions dictate that we stand aside in a money market for an extended time in order to avoid a bear market (as was the case from 10/13/2000 to 4/28/2003), I can advise that because it is in the best interest of my client. I am always thinking about what will benefit my client, not worrying about lost commissions. (Please see my article “How we eluded the Bear in 2000” at http://www.successful-investment.com/articles12.htm).
Bottom line: Load fund vs. No Load mutual fund shouldn’t be the issue. Having a methodical plan and reliable advice as to when to buy and when to sell is far more important and will help you to secure a prosperous financial future.
© by Ulli G. Niemann
About The Author
Ulli Niemann is an investment advisor and has written about methodical approaches to investing for over 10 years. He avoided the bear market of 2000 and has helped countless people make better investment decisions. Subscribe to his free newsletter: www.successful-investment.com ulli@successful-investment.com

How (NOT) to Buy Mutual Funds

by: Ulli G. Niemann

When it comes to mutual funds, there is a lot more to success than just finding a good one. Sad investment stories like the following are all too common. I hope my sharing it with you will help you avoid making the same devastating financial mistake one of my former clients made.
This story begins during the height of the investment madness in 2000, just prior to the bear market. I had been managing an IRA account for "Bob" for around six years, with a better than average record of success. So I was surprised when Bob sheepishly called in July, 2000 to let me know he was transferring his IRA account, which had done particularly well during our latest Buy cycle going into the year 2000.
However, his tax preparer, a long time personal friend of Bob's wife’s, was now also offering investment services, having recently received his Registered Representative’s license.
Fast forward to the end of September. It had become increasingly clear to me that the Bull market had run its course. So, in accordance with the Sell signal from our trend tracking methodology, we sold all of our mutual fund positions on October 13, 2000 and went 100% into money market. (See my article “How we eluded the Bear in 2000” at http://www.successful-investment.com/articles12.htm). From our safe haven we watched the market crash and burn, causing most other investors to sustain double digit losses eventually reaching as high as 50 - 60% of their assets.
In 2002 Bob unexpectedly stopped by my office. As it turned out, things had not gone well at all with his IRA investments. As most advisors would have done, his tax preparer/advisor had quickly moved all of Bob’s assets into a variety of “load funds.”
Of course, being newly licensed he was clueless (as were many licensed advisors) as to market behavior or analysis of any kind. The end result was that Bob’s portfolio lost in excess of 50% over the next 2 years. (Not to gloat, but my clients' losses in the same period were non-existent.)
Unfortunately, the degree of loss Bob sustained was experienced by many investors who did not follow a disciplined and methodical approach.
What I find particularly distasteful is that Bob's tax preparer misused his position of trust. He made financial decisions that he was not qualified to make, though his license implied that he did know enough to make them. So now we know what a piece of paper is worth.
This is no different than letting a newly graduated medical student with a fresh MD behind his name perform heart surgery. Or, hiring a new MBA grad to Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company. Yet the financial services industry allows someone to get a license (after a fairly short course) and to immediately start making incredibly important and far reaching financial decisions for anyone he or she can sell their service to.
This is a worrisome trend in this industry. A CPA friend confirmed that he has been approached many times by firms wanting him to offer investment services.
Why? It’s easy money! Accountants and tax professionals have a great business base. They are in a unique position of trust, because of the information their clients disclose to them. Whether they are employed by a company or they maintain an individual practice, there is probably no other person (other than your spouse) who knows as many intimate details of your financial life as your accountant/tax preparer.
To abuse this trust for personal gain—no matter how noble the motive may appear—is a total conflict of interest and a huge betrayal.
The bear market of 2000 has shown that investing must be a disciplined endeavor. Even most professionals have failed to recognize this. What busy accountant, in the middle of tax season, can put the necessary time and attention to a volatile investment market that may require action at a moment's notice?
As for Bob, he’s still with his accountant, and in the same investments that brought his portfolio down. He’s hoping for a miracle recovery. As of this writing, the stock market is engaged in something of an upswing and Bob, I'm sure, is getting his hopes up that he will recover some of his losses. However, I shudder to think that this rally may come to an end and the bear market resumes. Where will Bob be then?
At 58 years old Bob is still playing Russian roulette with his retirement. He's apparently unable to make a decision to move to someone who has the ability to make sense of market trends and the discipline to follow the signals they communicate. This is a decision that will have a profound affect on his financial future—and will determine whether his story has a happy or sad ending.
About The Author
Ulli Niemann is an investment advisor and has been writing about objective, methodical approaches to investing for over 10 years. He eluded the bear market of 2000 and has helped countless of people make better investment decisions. To find out more about his approach and his FREE Newsletter, please visit: www.successful-investment.com. ulli@successful-investment.com

No Load Mutual Funds: Boost Your Portfolio's Returns

by: Sam Subramanian

Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds for their stock investments often lose out on opportunities to increase the reward potential of their portfolios. This article looks at two methods investors may use to enhance the performance of their portfolio of diversifed, no load mutual funds.
Diversify, diversify, diversify!
Rebalance your portfolio periodically.
These have become the mantra in the post dot-com era. Stocks, bonds, and cash typically form the major asset classes for constructing portfolios of no load mutual funds. Lot of emphasis rightly gets placed on the percentage of assets allocated to no load mutual funds of different asset classes. However, the division of assets within a particular class does not nearly get the attention it should.
All too often, investors exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds for their stock investments. Fidelity Magellan Fund (Nasdaq: FMAGX) and Fidelity Contrafund Fund (Nasdaq: FCNTX) are examples of popular Fidelity funds investors commonly use. By following this approach, investors often miss out on opportunities to enhance the reward potential of their portfolios.
In a related article, we have looked at how investors can use sector funds to construct a diversified, no load mutual fund portfolio. In this article, we look at how investors can use sector funds to enhance the performance of their portfolio of diversified, no load mutual funds. Although Fidelity funds are presented as examples, the concepts outlined here can be implemented using sector funds managed by other institutions such as Vanguard or T. Rowe Price.
Sector funds confine their investments to a particular sector of the economy. Fidelity funds managed under the Select Portfolios® are sector funds. For example, Fidelity Select Energy (Nasdaq: FSENX) is a no load mutual fund that focuses its investments on various segments of the energy industry such as integrated oil companies, oil and gas exploration and production companies, and oil field service companies.
So how does one use sector funds to increase the performance potential of a portfolio of diversified, no load mutual funds?
Focus on sectors with growth opportunities. An investor having a portfolio of diversified, no load mutual funds may commit a portion of her assets to sector funds that focus on areas having significant growth opportunities, e.g., electronics or software. Some financial professionals call this the ‘core and satellite’ portfolio approach where the diversified, no load mutual fund is the core and the sector fund is the satellite holding. Investments in Fidelity funds like Fidelity Select Electronics (Nasdaq: FSELX) or Fidelity Select Software and Computer Services (Nasdaq: FSCSX) can enable the investor add emphasis on growth sectors such as electronics and software, respectively.
Take a proactive approach to sector investing through sector rotation. Like in the previous case, an investor having a portfolio of diversified, no load mutual funds commits a portion of her assets to sector funds. With this approach, the investor however seeks to maximize the potential of the portion of assets committed to sector funds by periodically switching assets into sectors with higher expected returns.
For example, until not too long ago, major corporations pruned technology related capital spending whereas falling interest rates kept consumer spending strong. To profit from such secular trends, an investor may choose to invest in Fidelity funds such as Select Consumer Industries (Nasdaq: FSCPX) and Select Leisure (Nasdaq: FDLSX) while avoiding Select Technology (Nasdaq: FSPTX). AlphaProfit.com's research indicates that sector rotation has the potential to outperform the market averages on the basis of relative returns as well as risk-adjusted returns. To employ this approach effectively, you need to understand and follow the dynamics of the individual sectors. You must also be able to make informed decisions on sectors to select and sectors to avoid.
The Impact on Your Portfolio. Strong performance from a portion of assets committed to sector funds can materially enhance the return of your portfolio of no load mutual funds. Fidelity funds such as Select Electronics and Select Software and Computer Services sport 10 year average annual returns of close to 18%; this is nearly twice the 10 year average annual return of 9.4% for the Fidelity Magellan Fund. Using tactical, infrequent rotation of assets among sectors, the AlphaProfit's Focus™ model portfolio has increased at an average annual rate of 34.4% since 1993.
So what do these return rates translate to you in dollar terms? A $100,000 investment in a diversified, no load mutual fund that grows at 10% per year results in $259,374 at the end of 10 years. If the same $100,000 is divided such that $85,000 is invested in the same diversified, no load mutual fund growing at 10% per year and the remaining $15,000 is invested in sector funds growing at 30% per year, the assets will total $427,256 at the end of 10 years. That is $167,882 or 65% more than the $259,374 resulting in the former case.
Thus by allocating even a relatively small, say 15%, of the total portfolio of no load mutual funds to sector funds, you can dramatically increase your returns.
Key Points to Remember
1. Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds for their stock investments often miss out on opportunities to enhance the return of their portfolios.
2. Sector funds can serve as a valuable return enhancing booster for an investor owning a portfolio of diversified, no load mutual funds.
3. Investors may choose to take a passive long-term approach to investing in sector funds that target high growth sectors of the economy. Alternatively, an investor can take a proactive approach to maximize the potential of sector funds by periodically switching assets into sectors with higher expected returns.
4. Investors willing to look beyond broadly diversified, no load mutual funds have a powerful ally in sector funds. Such investors can materially increase portfolio returns by committing a relatively small fraction of their total assets invested in diversified, no load mutual funds to sector funds.
Notes: This report is for information purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice. This report does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. The information contained in this report is obtained from various sources believed to be accurate and is provided without warranties of any kind. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC does not represent that this information, including any third party information, is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC is not responsible for any errors or omissions herein. Opinions expressed herein reflect the opinion of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC and are subject to change without notice. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC disclaims any liability for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information in this report. The third-party trademarks or service marks appearing within this report are the property of their respective owners. All other trademarks appearing herein are the property of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Owners and employees of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC for their own accounts invest in the Fidelity Funds mentioned in this report. They may for their own accounts also buy, sell, or hold long or short positions in any of the other securities mentioned in this report. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC neither is associated with nor receives any compensation from Fidelity Investments. The investment returns and examples provided above are solely for illustrative purposes. Past performance is neither an indication of nor a guarantee for future results. No part of this document may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Copyright © 2004 AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Sam Subramanian, PhD, MBA is Managing Principal of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Sam developed the ValuM™ Investment Process for managing investments. He edits the AlphaProfit Sector Investors' Newsletter™. For the 5 year period ending December 31, 2003, AlphaProfit model portfolios increased by up to 288%, a compound annual return rate of 31%. To learn more about AlphaProfit and to subscribe to the FREE newsletter, visit: http://www.alphaprofit.com

Mutual Funds: What Investors Need to Know About Morningstar Mutual Fund Fiduciary Grades

by: Sam Subramanian

Morningstar now provides Fiduciary Grades on mutual funds. How does Morningstar determine these grades? How can mutual fund investors use these grades to better manage their portfolios?
Mutual fund investors use Morningstar Rating™ as a sign post of mutual fund performance. These ratings have proved to be a valuable tool for objectively comparing the performances of different mutual funds.
In 2003, New York Attorney General, Elliott Spitzer launched actions against some mutual fund companies for allowing their privileged clients to profit from improper activities such as late trading.
In the aftermath of these developments, investors realize that they need more than the historical performance based Morningstar Ratings to evaluate mutual funds. The Morningstar Ratings do not get at critical intangibles. How seriously does the mutual fund company take its fiduciary responsibility to mutual fund investors? How aligned are the interests of the mutual fund manager and the mutual fund company with those of the mutual fund investor?
To address this need, Morningstar has embarked on a system called the Fiduciary Grade. Morningstar has so far graded about 635 mutual funds, including 500 of the largest ones. Morningstar plans to provide Fiduciary Grades for a total of 2000 mutual funds over time.
The Morningstar Fiduciary Grade System Basics
The Morningstar Fiduciary Grade is based on the evaluation of five areas critical for mutual fund governance and mutual fund operations. Morningstar generally assigns to mutual funds points ranging from 0 (Very Poor) to 2 (Excellent) in increments of 0.5 for each of these five areas.
1. Regulatory Issues: Morningstar examines if the mutual fund company has had any regulatory issues within the past three years. If so, what corrective action has the mutual fund company implemented? Unlike the other four areas, the minimum score here can be a minus 2.
2. Board Quality: Morningstar looks for a demonstrated track record of the mutual fund board protecting the interests of mutual fund investors. Mutual funds get kudos if their independent directors invest in the mutual funds.
3. Manager Incentives: This score is based on Morningstar’s evaluation of mutual fund ownership and compensation structure. Mutual funds where the fund’s manager owns a meaningful stake in the fund score high on the fund ownership dimension. A compensation structure that rewards the mutual fund manager for long-term mutual fund performance is favored.
4. Fees: Mutual funds are rewarded for having expense ratios lower than that of their peers and for effectively reducing their expense ratios with growth in their assets.
5. Corporate Culture: Morningstar looks for tangible evidence that the mutual fund company takes its fiduciary responsibility seriously. Among the factors Morningstar considers are softer issues like whether the company closes mutual funds when they get too large and whether the company starts trendy mutual funds to garner assets.
The points scored on each of the above areas are aggregated and the Fiduciary Grade is assigned based on the total: A=9-10, B=7-8.5, C=5-6.5, D=3-4.5, F=2.5 or less.
How Investors Can Use the Morningstar Fiduciary Grade
Here are some ways investors can use the Morningstar Fiduciary Grade.
1. Buy and Hold Investors: Buy and hold mutual fund investors first need to examine how mutual funds held in their portfolios stack up on the two dimensions, Morningstar Rating and Fiduciary Grade.
Mutual funds that rank favorably on both dimensions may be retained and mutual funds that rank unfavorably on both dimensions may be replaced by ones that rank favorably.
For mutual funds that rank favorably in one dimension but not in the other, the answer is not clear-cut. Retaining a fund with strong Morningstar Rating but lower Fiduciary Grade is a matter of personal choice. Conversely, a mutual fund’s Fiduciary Grade may be satisfactory but the Morningstar Rating may be unfavorable. This may just be a case of the mutual fund manager going through a temporary bad patch. Investors have to weigh these factors along with tax consequences before deciding to sell a mutual fund.
Given the number of mutual funds available, investors seeking new mutual funds to add to their portfolio should in general have no trouble in finding mutual funds with favorable Morningstar Rating as well as Fiduciary Grade.
2. Tactical Asset Allocators: A tactical asset allocator uses an active investment strategy and typically invests in mutual funds such as sector funds. For example, AlphaProfit, http://www.alphaprofit.com uses its ValuM investment process, http://www.alphaprofit.com/mutual-fund-selection.html to periodically alter the mix of its mutual fund model portfolios to take advantage of specific trends (e.g. rising natural gas prices, introduction of new wireless technologies).
Since tactical asset allocators seek superior performance during their mutual fund holding period, factors such as superior long-term performance which determine Morningstar Ratings are less important to them. However, these investors typically seek to own mutual funds within a single family such as Fidelity Investments for purposes of administrative ease. As such, tactical asset allocators will find the Fiduciary Grade useful in evaluating and choosing mutual fund families to implement their strategies.
Our Take on the Morningstar Fiduciary Grade System
The Fiduciary Grade system is a blend of several metrics. The grading of mutual funds on regulatory issues is backward looking rather than a prognosticator of potential future trouble. The grading system includes a quantitative dimension in mutual fund fees. Also included are qualitative dimensions such as mutual fund corporate culture, manager incentives, and board quality.
The Mutual Fund Fiduciary Grade ranking provides mutual fund investors with much needed insight on the governance and operations of mutual funds. The Morningstar Fiduciary Grade System is a good first step. We believe Morningstar will refine the Mutual Fund Fiduciary Grade system over time, just as they refined the Morningstar Ratings system.
While Morningstar Ratings do an excellent job of objectively evaluating past performance, financial markets by their very nature do not allow the investor to predict future performance based on these ratings alone. Many times, funds with Morningstar Ratings of 4- or 5-star do not live up to their expectations.
The utility of the Morningstar Fiduciary Grade will be significantly enhanced if superior Fiduciary Grade either by itself or in combination with the Morningstar Rating becomes a better indicator of superior future performance. We believe the Morningstar Fiduciary Grade has the potential to become a worthy metric of mutual fund stewardship over time.
Notes: This report is for information purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice. This report does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. The information contained in this report is obtained from various sources believed to be accurate and is provided without warranties of any kind. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC does not represent that this information, including any third party information, is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC is not responsible for any errors or omissions herein. Opinions expressed herein reflect the opinion of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC and are subject to change without notice. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC disclaims any liability for any direct or incidental loss incurred by a pplying any of the information in this report. Morningstar Rating™ is a trademark of Morningstar, Inc. The third-party trademarks or service marks appearing within this report are the property of their respective owners. All other trademarks appearing herein are the property of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Owners and employees of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC for their own accounts invest in the Fidelity Mutual Funds. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC neither is associated with nor receives any compensation from Fidelity Investments. Past performance is neither an indication of nor a guarantee for future results. No part of this document may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Copyright © 2004 AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Sam Subramanian, PhD, MBA is Managing Principal of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Sam developed the ValuM™ Investment Process for managing investments. He edits the AlphaProfit Sector Investors' Newsletter™, a publication that discusses investments using Fidelity mutual funds. For the 5 year period ending December 31, 2003, AlphaProfit model portfolios increased by up to 252%, a compound annual return of 28.6%. To learn more about AlphaProfit and to subscribe to the FREE newsletter, visit http://www.alphaprofit.com

Mutual Funds - A Secure Investment

by: Joseph Kenny

Mutual funds are a collection of stocks and/or bonds invested in different securities, which include fixed market securities and money market instrumentals. It facilitates investors to put their money under an efficient investment management. There are three types of mutual funds namely, income funds, growth funds, and balanced funds. The basic principle underlying mutual funds is to pool in money with other people to convert it into funds. Mutual funds generally buy shares in stocks wherein an experienced fund manager performs the task of selecting, purchasing and selling off the stocks himself. Certificates are then issued to the shareholders as a testimony of proof of their partnership and participation in the emoluments of funds. There are particularly three ways in which you can make money from a mutual fund. They are: 1. Benefits can be earned from the commission on stocks, and interests on bonds. All the income received all round the year is paid by the funds in the form of a distribution. 2. The fund will have an outstanding benefit provided the funds sell high priced securities. Most of the profits are given back to the investors in a distribution. 3. The value of the fund’s share automatically increases with an increase in the value of unsold high priced fund holdings. Accordingly, you can always sell shares of your mutual fund for profits. Many people find investing in mutual funds an attractive option to that of dealing directly with the stock market because it is comparatively safe. In fact, these days, mutual funds have become the first preference of many investors. Mutual funds provide a balanced and better approach compared to conventional stock market alternatives. It has an added advantage of investing in several distinct sectors and firms, so, if one company suffers losses, the others may be rising. Investing in mutual funds, therefore, minimizes the loss-bearing risk of monetary assets. In a nutshell, here are the salient points of the advantages of mutual funds: 1. Cost-effectiveness of investing in mutual funds: The main advantage of investing in mutual funds is the efficient management of your finances. Investors buy funds because they lack the competence and time to manage their own portfolio. It is a cost effective method, especially for a small investor because it is expensive to get a manager to manage individual investments. 2. Diversification: Compared to individual stocks or bonds, mutual funds diversify the risk of bearing loss. The basic intention being to invest in a diverse number of assets in order to overcome the negatives of loss making stocks or bonds by the profits reaped by others. 3. Economy of Scale: The transaction expenses are relatively low as a mutual fund is bought and sold in large amounts of credits. 4. Liquidity: Mutual funds provide the opportunity of converting shares into cash at any point of time. 5. Simplicity: It is easy to buy a mutual fund. Most companies have their own automatic purchase plans, and the minimum investment rates are very small. Therefore, investing in mutual funds is certainly a secure investment as the chance of loss is spread out, and the opportunity for gains are numerous. At the same time, it is both cost-effective and an investment that gives great future returns. The days of depending on government largesse in meeting old age financial requirements are growing dimmer by the day. Hence, investing in mutual funds can be a wise choice, especially for those who plan for an early retirement and hope to enjoy a secure senior citizenship.
About The Author
Joe Kenny writes for the UK Loans Store offering UK secured loans and offer more information on UK bad credit loans and other loan topics available on site. Visit Today: http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk