December 16, 2011

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open (LZOEX) Fund

Emerging Markets stock fund has been one of the outperformer asset classes of mutual funds for the past 3 years. One of this popular EM equity funds is Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open (LZOEX) fund. This Lazard fund invests in undervalued emerging market companies. More details about the fund review is described as follow.

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open (LZOEX)

The investment objective of Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open fund is to seek long-term capital appreciation. This equity fund invests mainly in undervalued equity securities of non-U.S. companies located in emerging market countries.

Fund Details
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open
  • Fund Inception Date: January 8, 1997
  • Ticker Symbol: LZOEX (Open Class)
  • CUSIP: 52106N764
  • Beta (3yr): 1.05
  • Rank in category (YTD): 26%
  • Category: Diversified Emerging Markets
  • Distribution: 1.02%
  • Capital Gains: 0%
  • Expense Ratio: 1.49%  
  • Net Assets: $ 15.23 billion
  • Number of Years Up: 8 years
  • Number of Years Down: 5 years
  • Annual Turnover Rate: 23.00%
Updated on 12/11/2011

December 15, 2011

Fidelity Growth Company Fund (FDGRX)

Growth Stocks are among the most popular stocks for short term traders and investors. Selecting an individual growth stock may be challenging though. Easiest way to buy these stocks is through buying growth stock mutual fund. These growth stock funds are investing in variety of diversified growth stocks. One of the popular growth stock funds is Fidelity Growth Company fund.

Fidelity Growth Company (FDGRX)

As actively managed fund, this Fidelity Growth Company fund seeks capital appreciation. This stock fund invests mainly in companies’ common stocks with above-average growth potential. The fund may invest in domestic and foreign companies.

Fidelity Growth Company

Fund Details
  • Fund Inception Date: 01/17/1983
  • Ticker Symbol: FDGRX
  • CUSIP: 316200104
  • Beta (3yr): 1.00
  • Rank in category (YTD): 8%
  • Category: Large Growth
  • Distribution: 0.00%
  • Capital Gains: 0%
  • Expense Ratio: 0.89%  
  • Net Assets: $ 38.53 billion
  • Number of Years Up: 20 years
  • Number of Years Down: 7 years
  • Average Duration: 20 years
  • Average Maturity: 7 years
  • Annual Turnover Rate: 36%
Updated on 12/9/2011

December 14, 2011

Homestead Small Company Fund (HSCSX)

This next fund, Homestead Small Company Fund, is part of small value US stock mutual fund. This fund invests in domestic small companies stocks. It is also part of the best fund by Morningstar and S&P. You can find the details review below.

Homestead Small Company Fund (HSCSX)

This Homestead Small Company Fund objective is to provide capital growth over the long term period. This top rated fund invests in undervalued stocks of promising small companies. This Homestead fund may invest >80% of assets in common stocks of companies whose market capitalization is similar to the market capitalization of companies represented in the Russell 2000 Index.

Fund Profile
  • Fund Inception Date: March 3, 1998
  • Ticker Symbol: HSCSX
  • CUSIP: 437769508
  • Beta (3yr): 1.20
  • Rank in category (YTD): 41%
  • Category: Small Blend
  • Yield: 0.31%
  • Capital Gains: 0%
  • Expense Ratio: 0.89%
  • Net Assets: $ 1.3 Billion
  • Number of Years Up: 10 years
  • Number of Years Down: 3 years
  • Annual Turnover Rate: 2%
Updated on May 2017

This Homestead fund has been managed by Stuart E. Teach since its inception in March 1998. The annual expense ratio of this fund is 1.17%. The fund is classified in the Small Value category. The dividend yield of this fund is 0.16%. This dividend is distributed annually; the latest distributed dividend was $0.03 in December 2010.

December 12, 2011

American Funds Investment Company of America Fund (AIVSX)

American Funds Investment Company of America A (AIVSX) Fund is a popular domestic stock mutual fund. This stock fund invests in U.S. stock companies.

As one of the top mutual fund family, American Funds is also one of the most popular funds. One of these popular funds is American Funds Investment Company of America A (AIVSX) fund. This Investment Company of America fund invests mainly in US companies stocks. Details about the fund review can be found below.

American Funds Investment Company of America A (Ticker: AIVSX)

The investment objective of American Funds Investment Company of America fund is to provide long-term capital growth and income. This American Funds fund invests mainly in common stocks, most of which have a history of paying dividends. It may invest small part of assets (<15%) in foreign securities. This large blend stock fund focuses its investment in medium to larger capitalization companies, though it may invest in any capitalization size.

AIVSX Fund Details

American Funds Investment Company of America Fund (AIVSX)
Investment Company of America
  • Fund Inception Date: 01/02/1934
  • Ticker Symbol: AIVSX (Class A)
  • CUSIP: 461308108
  • Beta (3yr): 0.93
  • Rank in category (YTD): 62%
  • Category: Large Blend
  • Distribution: 1.74%
  • Capital Gains: check website
  • Expense Ratio: 0.59%  
  • Net Assets: $ 85.3 billion
  • Number of Years Up: 63 years

December 9, 2011

T Rowe Price US Large Cap Core Fund (TRULX)

This next US domestic stock fund is one of the new funds offered by T Rowe Price. This T. Rowe Price U.S. Large-Cap Core fund has been awarded Top Mutual Fund for newcomer category by S&P. Details about the fund’s review can be found below.

T Rowe Price US Large Cap Core (TRULX)

The T. Rowe Price U.S. Large-Cap Core investment fund objective is to achieve long-term capital growth. This US stock fund typically invests most of the net assets (>80%) in the stocks of large-cap U.S. companies, whose market cap is larger than the median market cap of companies in the Russell 1000 Index. This TRP fund expects to typically invest in approximately 50 to 75 companies.

Fund Details
  • Fund Inception Date: June 25, 2009
  • Ticker Symbol: TRULX
  • CUSIP: 74149R107
  • Beta (3yr): N/A
  • Rank in category (YTD): 49%
  • Category: Large Blend
  • Yield: 0.61%
  • Capital Gains: 0%
  • Expense Ratio: 1.15%
  • Net Assets: $ 43.1 million
  • Number of Years Up: 2 years
  • Number of Years Down: 0 years
  • Annual Turnover Rate: 74%
Updated on 5/26/2012

Jeffrey Rottinghaus is the lead fund manager of this T Rowe Price fund. He has been the manager since its inception in June 26, 2009. Since this fund is new, there is no Morningstar rating yet, but it is recognized as the top S&P mutual fund of 2011. This fund’s dividend yield is 1.07% and is distributed annually. Last year (2010), the dividend was $0.13. The annual expense ratio of this top fund is 1.15% comparable to the average in the Large Blend category (1.14%).

December 8, 2011

Loomis Sayles Strategic Income Fund (NEFZX) Class A

The following article is about Loomis Sayles Strategic Income A fund. This Loomis Sayles bond fund is part of taxable multisector fund. It can invest in varieties of bonds or fixed income like government bonds or treasuries, corporate bonds, convertible, foreign debts, and more. Details about this mutual fund can be found below.

Loomis Sayles Strategic Income A (MUTF: NEFZX)

The Loomis Sayles Strategic Income fund seeks high current income and its secondary objective is capital growth. This bond fund invests all of its assets in income producing securities with a focus on U.S. corporate bonds, convertible securities, foreign debt instruments, including those in emerging markets and related foreign currency transactions and U.S. government securities. It may invest >35% of assets in preferred stocks and dividend-paying common stocks. This Loomis Sayles fund may also invest in Rule 144A securities, structured notes, zero-coupon bonds, pay-in-kind bonds, mortgage-related securities, stripped securities, swaps, futures, and other derivatives.

December 7, 2011

Vanguard Limited Term Tax Exempt Fund (VMLTX)

Municipal bond funds are among the top performer mutual fund for year 2011. One of the largest muni bond funds is Vanguard Ltd-Term Tx-Ex. This Vanguard fund invests primarily in investment grade municipal bonds. Details about the fund review can be found below.

Vanguard Limited Term Tax Exempt (Ticker: VMLTX)

This Vanguard Limited Term Tax Exempt fund is seeking current income exempt from federal income tax, with limited price volatility. This Vanguard fund invests >75% of assets in municipal bonds in the top three credit-rating categories. It may invest minority of assets (<20%) in bonds rated Baa or BBB. The fund invests <5% of assets in securities with lower credit ratings or unrated.

Fund Details
  • Fund Inception Date: August 31, 1987
  • Ticker Symbol: VMLTX
  • CUSIP: 922907704
  • Beta (3yr): 0.33
  • Rank in category (YTD): 52%
  • Category: Muni Short
  • Distribution Rate: 2.23%
  • Capital Gains: 0%
  • Expense Ratio: 0.20%
  • Net Assets: $ 14.58 billion
  • Number of Years Up: 23 years
  • Number of Years Down: 0 years
  • Average Duration: 2.8 years
  • Average Maturity: 2.4 years
  • Annual Turnover Rate: 14.0%
Updated on 12/4/2011

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