TCW Total Return Bond Fund (TGLMX)

TCW Total Return Bond Fund (TGLMX) is one of the best fixed income mutual funds. This taxable bond fund objective is to provide total return with income. The fund review can be found in this post.

TCW Total Return Bond I (Ticker: TGLMX)

The TCW Total Return Bond fund is seeking to maximize current income and achieve above average total return consistent with prudent investment management over a full market cycle. This TCW fund invests >80% of net assets in debt obligations. It invests mostly in mortgage-backed securities of any maturity or type guaranteed by, or secured by collateral that is guaranteed by, the United States Government, its agencies, sponsored corporations, and in privately issued mortgage-backed securities rated Aa or higher by any nationally recognized statistical organization.

TGLMX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: June 1993

  

  TGLMX fund details

  
  

• Ticker Symbol: TGLMX (Institutional Class)
• CUSIP: 87234N880
• Beta (3yr): 0.42
• Rank in category (YTD): 50
• Category: Intermediate-Term Bond
• Distribution: 7.13%
• Capital Gains: N/A 
• Number of Years Up: 15 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Average Duration: 3.8 years
• Average Maturity: 7.4 years

updated on 7/2/2011

BlackRock Equity Dividend A Fund (MDDVX)

Value investing has been preached by various investors such as Warren Buffet, Ben Graham. One of the best large value domestic stock funds is BlackRock Equity Dividend. This BlackRock fund is also rated 4 stars. Please find the following fund's review.

BlackRock Equity Dividend Inv A (Ticker: MDDVX)

The BlackRock Equity Dividend investment seeks long term total return and current income. This BlackRock fund invests most of assets in a portfolio of equity securities. It typically invests >80% of assets in equity securities and >80% of assets in dividend paying securities. This MDDVX fund may invest in securities of companies with any market capitalization, but will generally focus on large cap securities. It may invest some of total assets (<25%) in securities of foreign issuers. The fund may invest in securities denominated in both U.S. dollars and non-U.S. dollar currencies. It may also invest in convertible bonds and non-convertible preferred stock.

MDDVX Fund Details

BlackRock MDDVX fund details

• Fund Inception Date: October 1994
• Ticker Symbol: MDDVX (Investor A Class)
• CUSIP: 09251M108
• Beta (3yr): 0.88
• Rank in category (YTD): 34
• Category: Large Value
• Distribution: 1.73%
• Sales Load: 5.25%
• Expense Ratio: 1.04%
• Morningstar Rating: 4
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 13 years
• Number of Years Down: 3 years

updated on 6/28/2011

Baron Growth Retail Fund (BGRFX)

This next fund has been one of the good performing fund for the past few years. As part of growth stock fund, Baron Growth fund is among the top rated US domestic stock fund. Details review can be found below.

Baron Growth Retail (Ticker: BGRFX)

The Baron Growth fund seeks capital appreciation. This Baron fund invests for the long term mainly in equity securities in the form of common stock of small-sized growth companies with market capitalizations of under $2.5 billion at the time of purchase selected for their capital appreciation potential. It purchases securities in businesses that BAMCO Inc believes could double in value in four or five years, and then hopefully, double again in the next four or five years.

Baron Growth Fund characteristics

BGRFX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: December 1994
• Ticker Symbol: BGRFX
• CUSIP: 068278209
• Beta (3yr): 1.04
• Rank in category (YTD): 52
• Category: Mid-Cap Growth
• Distribution: 0.0%
• Net Assets: $6.9 billion
• Sales Load: 0%
• Expense ratio: 1.32%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 13 years
• Number of Years Down: 3 years

Updated on June 24th, 2011

PIMCO Investment Grade Corporate Bond A Fund (PBDAX)

This next fund is another PIMCO fund with the highest Morningstar rating. This fund is also part of bond fund. As described before, bond fund can be classified into variety of sectors such as corporate bond, government bond, global bond, emerging markets bond, US Treasury, municipal bond, foreign bond, high yield bond, bank loan, etc. These bond funds also have various type of duration ranging from short term to long term. The following PIMCO Investment Grade Corporate Bond fund will focus its asset by investing in investment grade corporate bond with 3-7 years average duration. Details can be found below.

PIMCO Investment Grade Corporate Bond A (PBDAX)

PIMCO PBDAX fund characteristics

The PIMCO Investment Grade Corporate Bond fund investment objective is to seek maximum total return consistent with capital preservation and prudent investment management. The fund typicall invests majority of assets (>80%) in a diversified portfolio of investment-grade corporate fixed-income securities of varying maturities.

This PBDAX fund invests may invest some of its total assets (<15%) in high-yield securities or non investment grade bonds (i.e. junk bonds). In addition, this fund may invest up to 30% of total assets in foreign currencies securities, and may invest beyond this limit in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers.

American Century Equity Income Fund (TWEIX)

According to various research papers and books, value investing is among one of the top performing style over the long term period. This American Century Equity Income fund is rated as one of the best large value domestic stock mutual fund. More fund's review details can be found below.

American Century Equity Income Investor (Ticker: TWEIX)

The American Century Equity Income fund seeks current income. The fund’s secondary consideration is capital appreciation. This American Century fund invests in equity securities with a favorable income-paying history that has prospects for income payments to continue or increase. It invests >80% of its assets in equity securities at all times regardless of the movement of stock prices generally and invests at least 85% of its assets in income-paying securities. The fund also invests in equity securities of companies that the advisor believes are undervalued and have the potential for an increase in price.

TWEIX Fund Details

American Century TWEIX fund

• Fund Inception Date: August 1994
• Ticker Symbol: TWEIX (Investor Class)
• CUSIP: 025076100
• Beta (3yr): 0.65
• Rank in category (YTD): 80
• Category: Large Value
• Dividend Yield: 2.71%
• Expense Ratio: 0.96%
• Sales Load: 0%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 13 years
• Number of Years Down: 3 years

Updated on June 27th, 2011

AllianceBernstein Diversified Municipal Fund (SNDPX)

AllianceBernstein Diversified Municipal Fund (SNDPX) is a top muni bond mutual fund. This municipal bond fund provides income exempted from federal income tax rate.

On December 2010, Meredith Whitney who is a well known financial analyst predicted the Armageddon on Municipal bonds. She is the well known financial analyst who predicted the financial crisis on 2008-2009. For the past 6 month, she has been producing variety of reports about the dire situation of Municipal bonds. She predicted the muni market will experience 50 to 100 large defaults. This large default will represent hundreds of billions of dollars in losses over the next year. This first report is published on CBS 60 Minutes.

While this prediction is doom and gloom, the muni market has stabilized after several months of turbulences. During this time, the Muni bond fund has provided consistent income and capital appreciation for investors. What will future hold for Municipal bond fund? No one will know for sure. If you are interested in Muni bond fund, you should consider the following Top Rated Municipal bond fund, AllianceBernstein Diversified Municipal. Details can be found below.

AllianceBernstein Diversified Municipal (Ticker: SNDPX)

The AllianceBernstein Diversified Municipal fund objective is to provide principal safety and maximum total return after taking account of federal taxes. The fund invests most of assets (>80%) in municipal securities rated A or better by national rating agencies and comparably rated municipal notes. It invests <25% of assets in any one state. The fund seeks to maintain an effective duration of 3.5 to 7 years under normal market conditions.

SNDPX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: January 1989
• Ticker Symbol: SNDPX
• CUSIP: 085568400
• Beta (3yr): 0.59
• Rank in category (YTD): 5
• Category: Muni National Short
• Distribution: 1.99%
• Expense Ratio: 0.54%

Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX)

While known for its index funds, Vanguard offers actively managed mutual funds. One of the top rated actively managed Vanguard fund is Vanguard Dividend Growth fund. This fund provides high dividend and has low expense ratio. Details of the review can be found below.

Vanguard Dividend Growth Inv (VDIGX)

The Vanguard Dividend Growth fund seeks to provide a growing stream of income over time and, secondarily, to provide long-term capital appreciation and current income. This Vanguard fund invests primarily in dividend stocks or equities. The VDIGX fund invests on high-quality companies that have prospects for long-term total returns as a result of their ability to grow earnings and their willingness to increase dividends over time. These stocks typically will be large-cap, will be undervalued relative to the market, and will show potential for increasing dividends. The fund will be diversified across industry sectors.

VDIGX Fund Details

Vanguard Dividend Growth fund details

• Fund Inception Date: May 1992
• Ticker Symbol: VDIGX (Investor Class)
• CUSIP: 921908604
• Beta (3yr): 0.80
• Expense Ratio: 0.34%
• Sales Load: 0%
• Net Assets: $5.83 billion
• Rank in category (YTD): 18
• Category: Large Blend
• Type: Large Cap Stock Fund
• Yield: 1.74%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 13 years
• Number of Years Down: 5 years

updated 6/23/2011