Top Performer Balanced Mutual Funds of 2011

During the crisis situation or not, balanced mutual funds has remained steady. These balanced funds, also known as hybrid funds, invest in stocks (equities), bonds (fixed income), money market fund (cash), convertible, preferred, etc. Depending upon the fund’s objective, the asset allocation is distributed accordingly. Some of the top performer balanced funds of 2011 are Federated Muni and Stock Advantage A, FBR Balanced Investor, Value Line Asset Allocation, Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation A, etc.

Balanced Mutual Funds

Top Performer Balanced funds of 2011

This balanced fund can be used to diversify investor’s portfolio. Asset diversification is important during volatile market. Based on its asset allocation, the Balanced Funds can be divided into 4 main categories such conservative allocation, moderate allocation, aggressive allocation, and world allocation. There are other classes of balanced funds as well such as retirement income, and target-date funds. I also will highlight some of the main characteristics from these top performing funds such as expense ratio fee, Morningstar rating, analyst rating, sales load, dividend yield, turnover rate, management, top holding, etc.

Conservative Allocation

This Conservative Allocation balanced fund mainly invests in fixed income or cash. It may invest small part of the assets in equities (US stock or foreign stock). This fund tends to hold smaller positions in stocks than moderate-allocation funds. These fund portfolios typically have 50% to 80% of assets in fixed income and cash & 20% to 50% of assets in equities.

The 5 Top Performer Conservative Allocation Balanced Funds of 2011 are:

1. Federated Muni and Stock Advantage A (FMUAX)
• 2 stars rating, $1,500 minimum investment, sales load of5.5% 
2. Vanguard Wellesley Income Inv (VWINX)
• Good long term track record, 5 stars rating, Gold analyst rating, no sales load
3. Timothy Plan Defensive Strategies A (TPDAX)
• $73 million total assets, 1.29% expense ratio fee, 64% turnover rate
4. Hartford Balanced Income A (HBLAX)
• 5.50% sales load, $2,000 minimum investment, 4 stars rating, Lucius T. Hill, III is the lead manager
5. USAA Growth and Tax Strategy (USBLX)
• yield of 2.64%, total assets of $150 million, no sales load

No	Fund Name	Ticker	1 Year Return	3 Year Return	5 Year Return	10 Year Return	Expense Ratio
1	Federated Muni and Stock Advantage A	FMUAX	11.67%	10.21%	2.44%	-	1.00%
2	Vanguard Wellesley Income Inv	VWINX	9.63%	12.07%	6.03%	6.66%	0.28%
3	Timothy Plan Defensive Strategies A	TPDAX	8.91%	-	-	-	1.70%
4	Hartford Balanced Income A	HBLAX	8.70%	14.29%	4.89%	-	0.74%
5	USAA Growth and Tax Strategy	USBLX	7.38%	12.58%	1.79%	3.93%	0.93%

Best Mutual Funds

Moderate Allocation

These Moderate Allocation balanced funds invests larger positions in stocks than conservative-allocation funds. These funds typically have 50% to 70% of assets in stocks and 30% to 50% in fixed income and cash.

The 5 Best Performer Moderate Allocation Balanced Funds of 2011 are:

1. FBR Balanced Investor (AFSAX)
• Jonathan T. Moody is the lead fund manager, 2.03% dividend yield, 5 stars rating
2. Buffalo Flexible Income (BUFBX)
• 5 stars rating, 26% turnover rate, consumer defensive sector is the top sector
3. Villere Balanced Inv (VILLX)
• yield of 0.73%, no sales load, $2,000 minimum investment
4. Putnam Capital Spectrum A (PVSAX)
• Dish Network Corp is the top stock holdings, 5.75% sales load, 1.35% expense ratio
5. SAAT Defensive Strategy Allocation A (STDAX)
• $9.3 million total assets, 1.35% expense ratio, 3.60% dividend yield

No	Fund Name	Ticker	1 Year Return	3 Year Return	5 Year Return	10 Year Return	Expense Ratio
1	FBR Balanced Investor	AFSAX	10.61%	13.41%	4.68%	6.49%	1.36%
2	Buffalo Flexible Income	BUFBX	9.63%	17.08%	4.41%	6.29%	1.05%
3	Villere Balanced Inv	VILLX	8.85%	20.09%	5.03%	6.49%	1.12%
4	Putnam Capital Spectrum A	PVSAX	8.77%	-	-	-	1.38%
5	SAAT Defensive Strategy Allc A	STDAX	7.39%	19.50%	2.99%	-	1.35%

Aggressive Allocation

The aggressive allocation funds are balanced fund with majority of assets (70% to 90%) in stocks or equities. This asset allocation fund also may have small part of assets (10%-30%) in fixed income or bonds and cash. The assets portion in stock of this hybrid fund should be higher than conservative allocation or moderate allocation fund.

The 5 Best Performer Moderate Allocation Balanced Funds of 2011 are:

1. Value Line Asset Allocation (VLAAX)
• no sales load, 5 stars rating, top industry of this fund is industrials
2. SAAT Moderate Strategy Allocation A (SXMAX)
• 2.26% yield, 42% turnover rate, 1.37% expense ratio fee
3. Columbia Thermostat A (CTFAX)
• $2,000 minimum investment, sales load of 5.75%, 5 stars rating
4. Columbia Strategic Allocation A (IMRFX)
• expense ratio of 1.13%, 2.74% yield, top holding is Columbia Short Term Cash
5. Two Oaks Diversified Growth & Income (TWOAX)
• $15 million total assets, 75% turnover rate, 4 stars rating

No	Fund Name	Ticker	1 Year Return	3 Year Return	5 Year Return	10 Year Return	Expense Ratio
1	Value Line Asset Allocation	VLAAX	6.02%	13.02%	3.30%	5.16%	1.16%
2	SAAT Moderate Strategy Allc A	SXMAX	5.12%	15.60%	1.38%	-	1.37%
3	Columbia Thermostat A	CTFAX	4.62%	17.43%	3.97%	-	1.29%
4	Columbia Strategic Allocation A	IMRFX	1.46%	10.00%	-0.14%	3.89%	1.14%
5	Two Oaks Diversified Growth & Income	TWOAX	1.28%	14.99%	1.22%	-	1.21%

World Allocation

World-allocation portfolios invest in the whole world; most of them focus on the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the larger markets in Europe. They may also invest their assets in emerging markets. These funds typically have <70% of assets in stocks, >40% of assets in non-U.S. stocks or bonds, and >10% of assets in bonds.

The 5 Top Performing World Allocation Balanced Funds of 2011 are:

1. Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation A (ABRZX)
• $3.3 billion total assets, 1.04% expense ratio
2. Managers AMG FQ Global Essentials Inv (MMAVX)
• 3 stars rating, 4.1% yield, 1.67% expense ratio
3. USAA Managed Allocation (UMAFX)
• basic materials is the top sector, no sales load, 1.04% expense fee
4. GMO Benchmark-Free Allocation III (GBMFX)
• no sales load, 1.5% yield, fund of funds
5. Neuberger Berman Global Allocation A (NGLAX)
• $1,000 minimum investment, 5.75% sales load, 268% turnover rate

No	Fund Name	Ticker	1 Year Return	3 Year Return	5 Year Return	10 Year Return	Expense Ratio
1	Invesco Balanced-Risk Allc A	ABRZX	10.30%	-	-	-	1.15%
2	Managers AMG FQ Global Essentials Inv	MMAVX	7.46%	13.85%	0.21%	3.74%	1.67%
3	USAA Managed Allocation	UMAFX	7.02%	-	-	-	1.04%
4	GMO Benchmark-Free Allocation III	GBMFX	5.45%	10.10%	5.69%	-	0.89%
5	Neuberger Berman Global Allocation A	NGLAX	3.87%	-	-	-	1.65%

Disclosure: No Position

Top Performer Mutual Funds of 2011 articles:

• Top Municipal Bond Funds
• Best Performing Taxable Bond Funds
• Top Performer International Stock Funds
• Best Performer U.S. Stock Mutual Funds

Note: Will the winner of 2011 be the winner of 2012? No one will know for sure, hence past performance doesn’t guarantee future result.