Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund (VBISX) Investor Shares

This next fund review is another Vanguard index mutual fund. This index bond fund is Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index fund. This short term bond fund has low expense fee and best rated fund by Morningstar. More review is below.

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Investor (Ticker: VBISX)

This Vanguard Short Term Bond Index fund’s objective is to seek to track the performance of a market-weighted bond index with a short-term dollar-weighted average maturity. This Vanguard fund uses passive management approach to track the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-5 Year Government/ Credit Float Adjusted Index. This fund invests >80% of assets in bonds held in the index. The fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity consistent with that of the index, which generally less than 3 years.

Fund Details

Vanguard Short Term Bond Index

• Fund Inception Date: March 1, 1994
• Ticker Symbol: VBISX
• CUSIP: 921937207
• Beta (3yr): 0.47
• Rank in category (YTD): 11%
• Category: Short-Term Bond
• Distribution: 1.89%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 0.22%  
• Net Assets: $ 23.22 billion
• Number of Years Up: 16 years
• Number of Years Down: 0 years
• Average Duration: 2.6 years
• Average Maturity: 2.7 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 60.0%

Updated on 11/12/2011

Thornburg International Growth Fund (TIGAX)

Investing internationally is important for investor because of the global economy. Finding the right international companies to invest in can be challenging. The easiest way is to find the best rated international equity mutual fund. Thornburg International Growth A fund is one of the top international stock funds. Details fund’s review is described below.

Thornburg International Growth A (MUTF: TIGAX)

The Thornburg International Growth investment fund objective is to achieve long-term growth of capital. This Foreign Large Growth Equity fund invests mainly in companies stocks around the world with growth potential. It may own a variety of securities, including debt securities or bonds. The fund may invest in developing countries and in smaller companies with market capitalizations of <$500 million.

TIGAX Fund Details

Thornburg International Growth fund

• Fund Inception Date: February 1, 2007
• Ticker Symbol: TIGAX
• CUSIP: 885-215-319 
• Beta (3yr): 0.93
• Rank in category (YTD): 2%
• Category: Foreign Large Growth
• Distribution: 0.23%
• Net Assets: $ 196.33 million
• Sales Load: 4.50%
• Expense Ratio: 1.60%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 2 years
• Number of Years Down: 1 year

updated on 10/19/2011

Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt Fund (VWITX)

Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt fund (VWITX) is top muni bond mutual fund.

Municipal bond mutual fund can be attractive if you are on higher income tax rate. The income from this fund is tax free from federal tax rate (possibly states tax and local tax). One of the popular muni bond funds is Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt Fund. Below is the fund’s review.

Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt Inv (MUTF: VWITX)

The Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt Fund invests mainly (>75% of assets) in investment grade rated municipal bonds. It may also small part of its assets (<25%) in high yield municipal bonds (junk rated). As any muni bond fund, this fund’s objective is to offer moderate and sustainable current income that is not subjected to federal personal income taxes.

Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt

VWITX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 09/01/1977
• Ticker Symbol: VWITX (Investor Shares)
• CUSIP: 922907209
• Beta (3yr): 0.91
• Rank in category (YTD): 34%
• Category: Muni National Intermediate

updated on 10/27/2011

American Funds Bond Fund of America A (ABNDX)

American Funds Bond Fund of America A (ABNDX) is a popular diversified bond mutual fund. This bond fund invests in U.S. government bonds, corporate debts.

American Funds is among the leader of mutual fund family. It offers variety of mutual funds including fixed income or bond funds, balanced funds, and equity or stock funds. One of the most popular funds is American Funds Bond Fund of America A fund. Details review is below.

American Funds Bond Fund of America A (ABNDX)

The American Funds Bond Fund of America fund’s objective is to provide as high a level of current income with consistent capital preservation. The fund generally invests >80% of assets in bonds and other fixed income securities. It invests a majority of its assets in debt securities rated A3/A- or better which is issued or guaranteed by US Government or other governments (including mortgages and other assets). It may invest its assets in corporate debts, mortgage related debts, and high yield bonds. This American Funds fund invests in debt securities with a wide range of maturities.

Fund Details

American Funds Bond Fund of America A

• Fund Inception Date: May 28, 1974
• Ticker Symbol: ABNDX (Class A)
• CUSIP: 097873103
• Beta (3yr): 0.95
• Rank in category (YTD): 33%
• Category: Intermediate-Term Bond
• Distribution: 1.75%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 0.61%  
• Net Assets: $ 31.90 billion
• Number of Years Up: 34 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Average Duration: 4.72 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 99.0%

Updated May 2017

Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFINX)

One of the most popular index funds is Vanguard 500 Index fund. This Vanguard fund has low fee and has rated among the best fund by Morningstar. This fund track S&P 500 index performance and it is managed passively. Details about the fund’s review are below.

Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX)

Vanguard 500 Index fund details

The investment objective of this Vanguard 500 index fund is to track the S&P 500 index performance which measures the large-capitalization stocks investment returns. The fund employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the index performance. This Standard & Poor 500 index is a widely recognized benchmark of U.S. stock market performance that is dominated by the stocks of large U.S. companies.

VFINX Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 08/31/1976
• Ticker Symbol: VFINX (Investor Shares)
• CUSIP: 922908108
• Beta (3yr): 1.00
• Rank in category (YTD): 18%
• Expense Fee: 0.14%
• Yield: 1.80%
• Total Assets: $316 billion
• Fund Manager: Donald M. Butler and Scott E. Geiger
• Min to Invest: $3,000
• Category: Large Blend

Updated May 2017

American Funds SMALLCAP World Fund (SMCWX) Class A

This next world stock fund has invested in small cap / mid cap international stocks. American Funds SMALLCCAP World A fund is another popular mutual fund for investor. Investor can use this fund for portfolio diversification. More details about the fund’s review can be found below.

American Funds SMALLCAP World A (Ticker: SMCWX)

American Funds SMALLCAP World

The investment objective of American Funds SMALLCAP World A (SMCWX) fund is to achieve long-term growth of capital. This American Funds fund invests >80% of net assets in growth-oriented common stocks and other equity-type securities, including preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, and convertible bonds, of companies with small market capitalizations.

According to the fund’s prospectus, the small capitalization companies are companies with market capitalizations of $3.5 billion or less. This international stock fund invests majority of its assets outside the United States.

Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: April 30, 1990
• Ticker Symbol: SMCWX (Class A)
• CUSIP: 831681101
• Beta (3yr): 0.98
• Rank in category (YTD): 87%
• Category: World Stock

Updated on 11/7/2011

Franklin Income A (FKINX) Fund

Franklin Income A (FKINX) Fund is a balance mutual fund. This Franklin Templeton fund invests in stocks and bonds.

This next mutual fund has delivered a record of consistent dividend for the past 60 years. This fund is Franklin Income A fund. This fund is classified as conservative allocation balanced fund. More details on fund’s review can be found below.

Franklin Income A (MUTF: FKINX)

FKINX Fund Details

Franklin Income A fund details

• Fund Inception Date: 08/31/1948
• Ticker Symbol:  FKINX (Share Class A)
• CUSIP: 353496300
• Beta (3yr): 1.04
• Rank in category (YTD): 86%
• Category: Conservative Allocation
• Sales Load: 4.25%
• Yield: 5.11%
• Expense Fee: 0.61%
• Assets: $82.9 billion
• Number of Years Up: 50 years
• Number of Years Down: 12 years

Updated on May 3, 2017