Montrusco Bolton Quantitative Canadian Equity Fund Review

The following is the fund's review of another Canadian Equity Mutual Fund. Montrusco Bolton Quantitative Canadian Equity fund is another popular option for investor to invest in mutual fund.

Montrusco Bolton Quantitative Canadian Equity

Montrusco Bolton Quantitative Canadian Equity

The fundamental investment objective of the Quantitative Canadian Equity Fund is to achieve long-term growth of capital through the investment of its assets in a very concentrated group of stocks included in the S&P/TSX Composite Index and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The lead manager of this fund is Ismael Chiadmi. This fund was introduced to public in February 1996. It has 1.21% annual expense ratio. This fund applies higher minimum initial investment of $150.000. There is no sales load fee. The benchmark of this fund is S&P/TSX Composite Index.

The top sector exposure of this fund as of June 2011 is Energy (28.7%), Information Technology (19.4%), Health Care (19.2%) and Materials (9.6%). The top ten holdings of this fund as of March 2011 represent 97.13% of the total portfolio. They are Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl. (11.89%), Precision Drilling (10.72%), Lundin Mining (9.83%), First Quantum Minerals (9.60%), Silver Wheaton (9.52%), Baytex Energy Corp. (9.36%), Viterra Inc. (9.23%), Trican Well Service (9.15%), Ivanhoe Mines (9.02%) and Suncor Energy (8.81%).

The risks investing in this fund include currency risk, interest rate risk, price risk, credit risk and liquidity risk.

American Funds Washington Mutual A (AWSHX) Fund

American Funds Washington Mutual A Fund (AWSHX) focuses its investment in established U.S. companies. It is a large value mutual fund.

The following American Funds Washington Mutual A fund is among the oldest and popular US stock mutual fund. This us equity fund is also among the largest mutual fund. Details about the fund’s review can be found below.

American Funds Washington Mutual A (MUTF: AWSHX)

The investment objective of American Funds Washington Mutual A fund is to provide income and to provide an opportunity for growth of principal consistent with sound common stock investing. This US stock fund invests mainly in common stocks of established companies that are listed on New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and have a strong record of dividends and earnings.

AWSHX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 07/31/1952
• Ticker Symbol: AWSHX (Class A)
• CUSIP: 939330106
• Beta (3yr): 0.92
• Category: Large Value
• Expense Fee: 0.58%
• Yield: 1.77%
• Total Assets: $90 billion
• Category: Large Value
• Number of Years Up: 46 years
• Number of Years Down: 12 years
• Sales Load: 5.75% (Front End)
• Turnover Rate: 30%

Updated May 2017

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (VEIEX)

Known for its index mutual funds, Vanguard offers brokerage service and exchange traded funds as well. One of the most popular index funds is Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index fund. This fund invests mainly in emerging market countries stocks. This fund may be suitable for long term investors who wish to diversify his/her portfolio. More reviews can be found below.

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index (VEIEX)

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Idx

This Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index fund’s objective is to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Index performance. This passively managed fund invests most of its assets (>95%) in the stocks included in the index.

This Vanguard fund tracks 21 emerging market countries equity returns such as Russia, China, India, Brazil, Korea, South Africa, etc. Please note: This EM equity fund may be more volatile than US domestic stock fund or other developed countries stock fund, though it may provide higher long term returns.

As mentioned before, this fund uses indexing approached to manage its assets. The fund’s manager is Michael Perre since 2008. The total net assets are $50.78 Billion. It also has a yield of 1.87%. This fund’s expense ratio is 0.35%. This fee is lower than the average category of 1.67%. As any typical Vanguard fund, there is no sales load.

Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: February 26, 1999
• Ticker Symbol: VEIEX
• CUSIP: 922042304
• Beta (3yr): 1.10
• Rank in category (YTD): 61 %
• Category: diversified emerging markets
• Yield: 1.96%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 0.33%
• Net Assets: $ 67.7 billion
• Number of Years Up: 10 years
• Number of Years Down: 7 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 10%

Updated on 5/28/2012

This Diversified Emerging Market Stock fund is rated with 3 stars rating by Morningstar. It has the best 1 year total return in 2009 with 75.98% and the worst 1 year total return in 2008 with -52.81%. This EM stock fund has returned -17.63% over the past 1 year, 4.98% over the past 3 year, and 15.26% over the past 10 year.

This fund can be bought from 52 brokerages such as Vanguard, Northwestern Mutual, Schwab Retail, ETrade No Load Fee, Matrix Financial Solutions, Scottrade TF, etc. Investor may buy this Vanguard fund with $3,000 minimum investment for regular brokerage account and for retirement (IRA) account. This fund requires $100 for the minimum subsequent investment. The other class of this fund is the Admiral Shares (Ticker: VEMAX), Institutional Class (VEMIX), Institutional Plus (VEMRX), Signal Class (VERSX), and ETF (Ticker: VWO). The expense ratio of VEMRX is 0.12%.

Investing in this fund may include risks such as stock market risk, emerging markets risk, index sampling risk, currency and political risks.

As of October 2011, this fund has a total of 914 stocks. The median market cap is $15.4 Billion. The turnover rate is 16.2%. The top 10 largest holdings are Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Vale SA, China Mobile Ltd, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Gazprom OAO, America Movil SAB de CV, Itau Unibanco Holding SA, Hyundai Motor Co, and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China.

Pros:

• Low expense ratio fee
• No sales load

Disclosure: No Position

Other International Stock Mutual Funds:

• T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock (PRMSX)
• Harbor International Fund (HIINX)

American Funds Capital Income Builder A (CAIBX) Fund

American Funds Capital Income Builder A Fund (CAIBX) is a balanced mutual fund. This American Funds fund invests in stocks and bonds around the world. This post provides the fund review in details.

One of the advantages to invest in balanced mutual fund is investor can get instant diversification into equity (stock) and fixed income (bond) market. The following American Funds Capital Income Builder fund is part of World Allocation balanced fund. This World Allocation fund may invest in global stocks and bonds including preferred stock, convertible, emerging markets, high yield, corporate bond, etc.

American Funds Capital Income Builder A (Ticker: CAIBX)

AF Capital Income Builder A

This American Funds Capital Income Builder fund’s objective is to provide a level of current income and a growing stream of income over the years. The fund’s secondary objective is to achieve capital growth. This American Funds fund invests most of its assets (>90%) in income-producing securities, including common stocks and bonds (with <50% of assets in stocks). CAIBX may also invest in foreign companies stocks.

CAIBX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 07/30/1987
• Ticker Symbol: CAIBX (Class A)
• CUSIP: 140193 10 3
• Beta (3yr): 1.08
• Yield: 3.37%
• Expense Fee: 0.60%
• Total Assets: $104 Billion
• Minimum to Invest: $250
• Number of Years Up: 20 years
• Number of Years Down: 3 years
• Sales Load: 5.75% (Front End)

updated May 2017

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBMFX)

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index fund (VBMFX) is a popular taxable bond mutual fund. This Vanguard bond fund provides a decent yield. You will find the fund review in this article.

Vanguard has been well known with its wide selection of mutual funds. It also among the leader with low cost index funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). One of the most popular Vanguard’s bond index fund is Vanguard Total Bond Market Index fund. Please check the fund’s review below.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Inv (MUTF: VBMFX)

This Vanguard Total Bond Market Index fund objective is to provide return by tracking the performance of Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted index, the bond index. The fund invests >80% of assets in bonds held in the index. This Vanguard fund keeps a dollar-weighted average maturity consistent with that of the index, ranging between 5 - 10 years.

VBMFX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 12/11/1986
• Ticker Symbol: VBMFX (Investor Shares)
• CUSIP: 921937108
• Beta (3yr): 1.01
• Rank in category (YTD): 7%
• Category: Intermediate-Term Bond
• Yield: 2.36%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Sales Load: 0%
• Expense Fee: 0.15%
• Fund Manager: Joshua C. Barrickman
• Number of Years Up: 22 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Total Net Assets: $179 Billion
• Effective Duration: 6.09 years
• Average Maturity: 8.3 years

Updated May 2017

Sequoia Fund (SEQUX)

US stock investment can be done through mutual funds. One of the best U.S. Stock Funds is Sequoia fund. This domestic equity fund is rated 5 stars by Morningstar and is one of the oldest mutual fund. Details about the fund’s review can be found below.

Sequoia (MUTF: SEQUX)

This Sequoia fund is seeking long-term growth of capital. This large blend stock fund invests primarily on undervalued common stocks with potential for growth. While the fund typically invests in U.S. companies, it also may invest in foreign securities. It may invest in securities of issuers with any market capitalization. The fund is non-diversified.

SEQUX Fund Details

Sequoia fund details

• Fund Inception Date: July 15, 1970
• Ticker Symbol: SEQUX
• CUSIP: 817418106 
• Beta (3yr): 0.78
• Rank in category (YTD): 1
• Category: Large Blend
• Distribution Rate: 0.22%
• Net Assets: $ 4.38 billion
• Sales Load: 0.0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.00%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 34 years
• Number of Years Down: 6 years

Updated on 10/18/2011

Top Performer Non Leveraged Mutual Funds of Oct 2011

This article will provide list of Monthly Top Performer Mutual Funds of October 2011. The top performing funds are: BlackRock Energy & Resources Inv A, Schneider Small Cap Value, Pacific Advisors Small Cap Value A, and more.

The market performance for the month of October has been outstanding. Most indices have produced double digits return whether it is international indices (DAX, Nikkei, FTSE 100, etc) or domestic indices (S&P 500, Nasdaq, NYSE, Dow Jones Industrial, Russell 2000, etc). On my previous article, I have provided the top performer mutual funds (leveraged version). This top performer list will only provide a list for non-leveraged mutual funds.

The 12 Monthly Top Performer Non Leveraged Mutual Funds of October 2011 are:

Top Performer Mutual Funds 2011 (NL)

1. BlackRock Energy & Resources Inv A
2. Integrity Williston Bsn/Md-N Amer Stk A
3. Schneider Small Cap Value
4. Pacific Advisors Small Cap Value A
5. Oracle Mutual A
6. Rydex Energy Services Inv
7. Dreyfus Emerging Leaders
8. Dreyfus Small Cap A
9. Dreyfus Opportunistic Small Cap
10. Pacific Advisors Mid Cap Value A
11. Saratoga Energy & Basic Materials A
12. Rydex Energy Inv

Updated on 10/30/2011