American Beacon Retirement Income and Appreciation Fund (AANPX)

When you are in retirement, you would want to invest in mutual fund for income and limited capital appreciation. Several mutual funds may provide this opportunity. Some funds may be good, some may be fine for short term, and some may be worst. One of the best rated retirement income funds will be presented below. The American Beacon Retirement Income and Appreciation Fund is among the best rated retirement income fund and it is featured in U.S.News best mutual funds.

American Beacon Retirement Income and Appreciation Fund (MUTF: AANPX)

The American Beacon Retirement Income and Appreciation fund is trying to seek income and capital appreciation. This American Beacon fund invests majority of total assets (about 75%) in investment grade fixed-income securities. This fund seeks to achieve 3 to 7 years weighted average duration in the bond’s asset. To enhance the fund’s return, this fund will invest the rest of assets (about 25%) in convertibles strategy. This convertible strategy includes convertible and nonconvertible debt obligations such as non-investment-grade, convertible and non-convertible equity securities, common stocks, preferred stocks, and U.S. dollar-denominated American Depositary Receipts, warrants and options.

Note: This fund is previously known as American Beacon Enhanced Income Fund before 2009.

AANPX Fund Details

American Beacon AANPX fund

• Fund Inception Date: July 1, 2003
• Ticker Symbol: AANPX (Investor class)
• CUSIP: 02368A398
• Beta (3yr): 0.36
• Rank in category (YTD): 95
• Category: Retirement Income
• Distribution: 2.55%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Expense Ratio: 1.08%  
• Net Assets: $154.27 million
• Number of Years Up: 6 years
• Number of Years Down: 1 year
• Annual Turnover Rate: 51%

The fixed income characteristics:

• Average Duration: 4.9 years
• Average Maturity: 6.7 years
• Average Coupon: 4.3%

updated on July 24, 2011

FBR Small Cap Financial Fund (FBRSX)

Investing in financial stocks is considered as value investment approach. One of these best rated financial sector equity mutual funds is listed below. This fund is recognized by Morningstar and US News as one of the best rated funds in Financials Sector.

FBR Small Cap Financial Fund (MUTF: FBRSX)

The FBR Small Cap Financial Fund investment seeks capital appreciation. This FBR fund typically invests most of net assets (>80%) in equity securities of small-cap domestic financial services companies. This fund focuses on financial services companies that invest in real estate, usually through mortgages and other consumer-related loans. The fund also may invest <20% of net assets in companies with larger market capitalizations or companies outside of the financial services group of industries. It is considered as non-diversified sector fund.

FBRSX Fund Details

FBR Small Cap Financial Fund details

• Fund Inception Date: December 31, 1996
• Ticker Symbol: FBRSX
• CUSIP: 30246J208
• Beta (3yr): 0.70
• Rank in category (YTD): 81
• Category: Financial
• Distribution: 0.29%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Expense Ratio: 1.51% 
• Net Assets: $284.73 million
• Number of Years Up: 9 years
• Number of Years Down: 5 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 89%

updated on July 27th, 2011

Top Performer Mid Cap Growth Stock Mutual Funds July 2011

Mid Cap Growth Funds

Mid Cap Growth funds are equity funds or stock funds which invest in mid capitalization companies with higher growth potential. The mid capitalization companies usually have a market cap from $2 billion to $10 billion.

Investors or individuals who seek higher capital appreciation than typical large companies should invest in these mid cap growth stock funds. Typically, this type of investment has higher risks than typical large cap companies’ investment. It is appropriate for both regular brokerage account and retirement account or tax deferred accounts such as IRA or 401k.

Risks of investing in Mid Cap Growth Stock Funds include:

Top Mid Growth Stock Fund

• Market Risk – Equity fund can be very volatile depending on economic, political or market conditions
• Company Risk or Financial risk – Over short term or long term time, some companies’ financial may deteriorate and cause the decrease in their stock value.
• Foreign Investment Risk – Some funds may invest in foreign company which can be riskier than typical US company stocks
• Mid Cap and Small Cap Risk – Smaller companies may have greater price volatility than big or large capitalization companies
• Active Management Risk
• Style Risk – Certain investing style such as growth or value approach may provide additional volatility
• Other Risks - Please check the fund's prospectus for additional risks associated with specific fund.

Best Performers List

Best Performer Inflation Protected Bond Mutual Funds 2011

As part of taxable bond funds, inflation protected bond mutual funds are popular among income seeking investors. These mutual funds can be used as a tool to hedge against inflation. Some of the top performing inflation protected bond funds are: PIMCO Real Return Asset P, GMO Inflation Indexed Plus Bond III, DFA Inflation-Protected Securities I, etc.

Introduction

Bonds or fixed incomes are very popular among the income conscious investors. These investors can be long term investors, retiree, 401k investment investors, inflation hedger, and near retirement investors. There are 4 ways to invest in fixed incomes such as individual bond, exchange traded fund (ETF), mutual fund, and closed end fund. Fixed income mutual funds are among the most popular choice for investors.

Top Performer TIPS bond funds

As we know, there are many bond mutual funds. Bond mutual funds can be classified into two main categories such as taxable bond fund and non taxable bond fund or municipal bond fund. Both categories provide regular income in term of yield or distribution. These funds can be divided even further into its main specific classes.

For taxable bond fund, you can invest in investment grade corporate bond fund, high yield corporate bond fund, government bond fund, inflation protection bond fund, foreign bond fund, emerging markets bond fund, multi sector bond fund, asset backed bond fund, mortgage backed bond fund, bank loan bond fund, etc. The income from these bond funds usually is taxable under federal tax rate.

For non taxable bond fund is also known as municipal bond fund. These bond funds include national municipal bond fund (diversified among many states in US), and single state muni bond fund (California muni bond fund, Texas muni bond fund, New York Muni bond fund, etc). Income from these funds is exempt from federal tax rate.

In this article, I’ll provide the details about Top performer funds in inflation protection bond category. The funds are sorted based on its year to date performance (YTD).

Inflation Protected Bond Fund

Inflation Protected bond fund is type of mutual fund which invests in inflation protected securities in US or foreign countries. In US, this inflation protected obligation instrument is known as TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities). This TIPS bond is introduced by US government in 1997.

Fidelity Select Insurance Portfolio Fund (FSPCX)

Sector equity fund can be very volatile. It is also very effective for investor to make a bet on certain sector. One of the value equity sector fund is financial sector stock mutual fund. One of this best rated sector fund is Fidelity Select Insurance Portfolio. This is the fund's review of this Fiidelity fund.

Fidelity Select Insurance Portfolio (MUTF: FSPCX)

The Fidelity Select Insurance Portfolio fund seeks capital appreciation. The fund generally invests majority of assets (>80%) in financial companies stocks. These companies usually involve in underwriting, reinsuring, selling, distributing, or placing of property and casualty, life, or health insurance. It invests in domestic and foreign issuers. This financials stock fund is non-diversified sector mutual fund.

FSPCX Fund Details

Fidelity Select Insurance Portfolio

• Fund Inception Date: December 16, 1985
• Ticker Symbol: FSPCX
• CUSIP: 316390541
• Beta (3yr): 1.18
• Rank in category (YTD): 23
• Category: Financial
• Distribution: 0.76%
• Capital Gains: N/A 
• Expense Ratio: 0.91% 
• Net Assets: $242.28 million
• Number of Years Up: 17 years
• Number of Years Down: 8 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 193%

updated on July 22, 2011

Mutual Quest A Fund (TEQIX)

Investing in International Stock Mutual fund is one of the easiest ways to diversify in stock or equity investment. World Stock fund usually consist of investment in developed countries (USA, Canada, German, UK, Japan, France, Australia), developing countries (Indonesia, Africa, etc), emerging markets (Brazil, China, Russia, India), and many more. This means investing in world stock fund can provide instant diversification to your investment portfolio. One of these best rated world stock funds (i.e. top fund) can be found below.

Mutual Quest A (MUTF: TEQIX)

As part of Franklin Templeton Investment Funds, the Mutual Quest fund objective is to provide capital appreciation and to provide income as a secondary objective. This Franklin Templeton fund mainly invests in undervalue equity securities of U.S. and foreign companies. These undervalue companies are selected by the manager who believes the companies are available at market prices less than their value based on certain recognized or objective criteria (intrinsic value). This best rated fund invests the equity portion of their portfolio predominantly in mid- and large-cap companies, with the remaining portion in smaller companies. The fund expects to invest majority of assets (<50%) in foreign securities.

TEQIX Fund Details

Mutual Quest fund details

• Fund Inception Date: November 1996
• Ticker Symbol: TEQIX (class A)
• CUSIP: 628380800
• Beta (3yr): 0.46
• Rank in category (YTD): 51
• Category: World Stock
• Distribution: 2.03%
• Distribution Frequency: Semi annually
• Capital Gains: If any, is distributed every September
• Number of Years Up: 12 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Total Net Assets: $5.5 billion
• P/E Ratio: 12.67
• P/B Ratio: 1.48

updated on July 22, 2011

Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund (WAEMX)

This next fund has a unique approach of investing in Emerging Markets companies. This Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap is concentrating its assets in small capitalization companies in Emerging Markets. Details about this fund are described below.

Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap (MUTF: WAEMX)

                

The Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap is seeking long-term capital growth. The fund primarily invests at least 80% of assets in the equity securities (including common stock, preferred stock and securities convertible into common stock) of companies with market capitalizations of less than $3 billion at the time of purchase that are domiciled in emerging market countries.

WAEMX Fund Details

 Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap fund 

• Fund Inception Date: October 1, 2007
• Ticker Symbol: WAEMX
• CUSIP: 936793884
• Beta (3yr): 1.17                
• Rank in category (YTD): 31
• Category: Diversified Emerging Markets                 
• Yield: 0.01%
• Net Assets: $702.06 million                         
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 2 years       
• Number of Years Down: 1 year

updated on July 21th, 2011