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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • DSEUX / DLEUX
    According to my test trade at TDAmeritrade, DSEUX has a $5K not a $100K minimum for retirement accounts with a TF.
    Kevin
  • DSEUX / DLEUX
    @davidrmoran,
    According to a test trade I just made in my TDAmeritrade retirement account, DSEUX is available for a $5K minimum with a TF. Since I am grandfathered into the ThinkorSwim commission structure, the TF is only $15 each for buys and sells. For some reason, DLEUX is not available at TDAmeritrade.
    Kevin
  • Relatively poor funds in 401k - Need help
    @mrc70,
    As I see it, you have a much better than average selection of funds in your retirement plan. With your selection, I would probably pick one fund and use my other retirement accounts to complete the portfolio.
    I am a federal employee, and I have a limited but a more than adequate selection of funds in our Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which have an average expense ratio of a crazy-low 0.029%.
    Right now I have 100% of my TSP in the "S" fund, which is comparable to your FSEVX. Based on technical analysis, I shift assets between the TSP "C" fund (S&P500 equivalent, FXSIX) and the "S" fund, and use my other retirement accounts to fill out our portfolio.
    If you have a position in PRWCX, then I would not bother with OAKBX, And SFGIX is a much better option in EM than GTDIX. And for FI, I would stick with PIMIX, and maybe WHAIX, and call it a day.
    Kevin
  • Seeking a recommending for investing in MLPs.
    AMLP the Alerian Index ETF might fit the bill. Top heavy in arguably the top 2 dogs in the MLP space and an 0.85% ER.
  • Relatively poor funds in 401k - Need help
    Thank you all!
    Based on the responses I have seen so far, probably, I am expecting too much from a typical 401k as far as fund options are concerned. My previous 401k was horrible with just one American fund for entire International/Global/EM asset classes. When I questioned, our company rep for 401k told me that 'we invest conservatively'. Never expected such nonsensical reply. However, we were given a choice to open brokerage a/c with TDA.
    I am passionate individual investor and read many books on investing and asset allocation to educate myself since 2004. Having started investing from 2000, and following M* forum and Fund Alarm/MF Observer since 2004, I know a bit about asset allocation. I have close to 20 funds as I have 5 IRA/Roth IRA accounts across V'rd and TDA for me and my wife. Overall it is a very diversified portfolio with Global, US LCap/MCap/SCap, International, EM, and Bond funds.
    Based on what funds I chose in this 401k account, as you suggested, I may have to adjust my IRA accounts to ensure that my overall portfolio is well balanced with the best funds chosen in the available options.
    Fidelity Index funds, bond fund, OAKBX are solid options. Looking at M* statistics, Janus fund, Northern small cap, both section funds (if I decide to invest in them), and Invesco Developing markets funds seem to be good choices. Since I don't know much about these funds, looking for expert comments from those of you, who know more about them.
    Appreciate your help.
    Thanks,
    Mrc
  • Relatively poor funds in 401k - Need help
    What I've done when investing in vehicles with limited menus is pick the best they had to offer and then round out my portfolio elsewhere.
    Since you say there are a number of good funds in the 401k even if it doesn't offer you a complete array of first rate choices, you can start with those funds. Then adjust your IRAs to give you your desired portfolio allocation.
    That is unless there's a particular reason why you want to treat these as separate portfolios. For example, you might be planning to retire at age 55 and draw on the 401k for the first few years. You can do that without penalty with a 401k, but you generally have to wait until age 59.5 to get money out, penalty-free, from an IRA.
  • Relatively poor funds in 401k - Need help
    Hi,
    Could you please help me in identifying better choices in the following? I have IRAs with Vangard and TDA, where I have superb choices and invested in funds ike VDIGX, VHCOX, ARTKX, FPACX, AKREX, SFGIX, GPGOX, etc.
    There are some good funds like OAKBX, Janus Enterprise, V'rd health care, bond funds, index funds, etc. in this list, but overall disappointing choices in my opinion.
    I am comfortable with my allocation %ages for various asset classes, so where I need the advice is just in identifying good funds, not overall asses allocation. Appreciate all of your help.
    LCap
    ****
    Janus Enterprise Fund Class N (JDMNX) Stock
    American Beacon Large Cap Value Fund Class Institutional (AADEX) Stock
    Fidelity® Capital Appreciation Fund - Class K (FCAKX) Stock
    Fidelity® 500 Index Fund - Institutional Class (FXSIX) Stock
    Fidelity® Large Cap Growth Index Fund - Premium Class (FSUPX) Stock
    Fidelity® Large Cap Value Index Fund - Premium Class (FLCHX) Stock
    MCap
    ****
    Fidelity® Mid Cap Index Fund - Premium Class (FSCKX) Stock
    MFS Mid Cap Value Fund Class R6 (MVCKX) Stock
    Fidelity® Extended Market Index Fund - Premium Class (FSEVX) Stock
    Scap
    ****
    Northern Small Cap Value Fund (NOSGX) Stock
    Loomis Sayles Small Cap Value Fund Class N (LSCNX) Stock
    UBS U.S. Small Cap Growth Fund Class P (BISCX) Stock
    Fidelity® Small Cap Index Fund - Premium Class (FSSVX) Stock
    Balanced
    ********
    Oakmark Equity And Income Fund Investor Class (OAKBX) Blend
    Sector
    ******
    Cohen & Steers Realty Shares Fund (CSRSX) Stock
    Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) Stock
    International/Global
    ********************
    Deutsche Global Small Cap Fund Institutional Class (KGDIX) Stock
    Invesco Developing Markets Fund R5 Class (GTDIX) Stock
    Fidelity® International Discovery Fund - Class K (FIDKX) Stock
    Bonds
    *****
    Fidelity® Total Bond Fund (FTBFX) Bond
    Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX) Bond
    Money Market
    ************
    Putnam Stable Value Fund Bond
    Fidelity® Investments Money Market Government Portfolio - Class I (FIGXX) Short Term
    Retirement Series
    *****************
    FIAM Target Date 2060 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2055 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2050 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2045 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2040 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2035 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2030 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2025 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2020 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2015 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2010 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date 2005 Commingled Pool Class S Blend
    FIAM Target Date Income Commingled Pool Class S Blend
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    Inflated Optimism?
    Economic Overview:

    Week Ending January 20, 2017 © 2017 Payden & Rygel All rights reserved.
    From 2011 to 2015, the world inflation rate fell year after year. By 2016, the world was abuzz with deflation mania, fearing a further decline in the rate of inflation. Instead, as commodity prices recovered and global growth found its footing, consumer prices perked up in 2016. For 2017, there is a reason to believe the deflation fear may be behind us, as updated forecasts released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week show an expected annual pick-up in prices for the second time in the last five years.
    image
    Highlights of the Week:
    Treasuries: Treasury markets absorbed stronger inflation and housing data this week. Yields ground higher every day in this holiday-shortened week. The icing on the cake was Yellen’s speech on Wednesday where no one anticipated any remarks with regards to monetary policy and received hawkish ones at that.
    Securitized Products:
    The ABS market is following along with Ford auto receivables bringing a fully compliant ABS deal both regarding the 5% risk retention requirement and full loan level disclosure. The queue for next week is also full of issuers ready to hit the marketplace.
    High Yield:
    In this environment, the market has room to compress further, particularly given low expected default rates. Prudent, valuation-conscious investors should be rewarded.
    Emerging Markets: The latest activity data from China was a reminder of the country’s adjustment from investment-led to consumption-driven growth. December industrial production and xed asset investment growth eased modestly to 6.0% year-over-year (y/y) and 8.1% y/y, respectively, while retail sales came better than expected at 10.9% y/y.
    Municipals Municipal bond funds experienced a second consecutive week of in ows, taking in an additional $511.74 million. Investor demand has been strong, with $10 billion in new issuance well received and broad follow-through in secondary trading.
    https://www.payden.com/weekly/wir012017.pdf
    Honey. I think the kids are (finally ) leaving ! + We Look Back At Obama Years From Hoya Capital
    ...demographics over the next ten years are highly favorable to apartment demand. Rent growth data will certainly be interesting over the next several years: it will be a battle between high levels of supply and high levels of demand.image image
    Real Estate Weekly: Trump Takes Office, We Look Back At Obama Years
    Hoya Capital Real Estate Jan. 20, 2017
    With Donald Trump taking office this week, we think it's interesting to look back at the performance of REITs under the Obama Administration.
    REITs returned an average of 13% per year (price) and roughly 17% including dividends. Interesting, this 175% holding period return is almost exactly inline with the broader S&P 500 index.
    image
    It's important to note the context, though. Obama took office at almost the exact bottom of an 80% decline in REIT values over the preceding 18 months as the REIT ETF bottomed just a month after inauguration.
    Bottom Line So how will real estate perform under Trump? Well, we can pretty confidently say that commercial real estate won't perform as well under Trump as they did under Obama, but that should be rather obvious. Trump enters office at a time that commercial real estate values are near record highs and valuations appear healthy. Based on prevailing cap rate and economic growth expectations, REIT investors should continue to expect a 5-8% average annual total return with plenty of annual volatility.
    http://seekingalpha.com/article/4038310-real-estate-weekly-trump-takes-office-look-back-obama-years
    Treasury yields are up since Election Day. The benchmark 10-year Treasury is currently trading at 2.47% (as of Jan. 19, based on daily data via Treasury.gov). That’s up from 1.90% on Election Day and close to the highest level in two years.
    imageimage
    http://www.capitalspectator.com/moderate-us-growth-prevails-at-dawn-of-trump-era/
  • Lewis Braham: Vanguard's Climate-Change Dismissal
    "President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years."
    https://www.whitehouse.gov/america-first-energy
    (Embedded links to Climate Action Plan and WOTUS are mine, not in original.)
    Assume for the sake of argument that the dollar figures are correct, and disregard any additional health care costs due to increased pollution. At 150M+ workers in the US, that comes out to $200/worker over seven years, $28/year, 50c/week. $30B to workers sounds like a lot until you do the arithmetic.
    Start following the real money (read: oil, coal, agribusiness).
  • Lewis Braham: Vanguard's Climate-Change Dismissal
    Thanks for the followup and the additional information. The voting record you describe on VFTSX is indeed inexcusable, and I appreciate your calling attention to that distinction between Vanguard and Blackrock.
    Regarding index fund voting ... My very vague recollection of Fidelity's index funds is that when they first started, and Geode (the fund management company) was a Fidelity subsidiary, the index funds voted a little differently, and a little better, than the rest of Fidelity funds. Assuming my memory is correct, this shows that index fund managers can vote at least a little more responsibly.
    I just did a very brief, unscientific, pathetically lame check of a couple of Fidelity proxy votes, and this split between its index funds and others seems to be intact.
    A couple of index funds I checked (500 Index and Total Market voted for a shareholder proposal giving shareholders greater ability to call special meetings, while the actively managed Fidelity Advisor Energy Fund voted as the Board advised - against the resolution. There was the same split on an analogous resolution at Chevron. Here, I checked a second actively managed fund (Equity Div Income) to confirm the pattern.
    Chevron had a longer list of shareholder resolutions. Generally speaking, the index funds tended to abstain, while the actively managed funds voted against, as the board advised. In fairness, all the funds, active as well as index, abstained on the resolution to assess policy impact on 2 degree scenario. But the actively managed funds voted against requiring a director nominee with environmental experience, while the index funds merely abstained.
    Not huge differences I know, but evidence that index funds can break with their family siblings and vote if not in favor of shareholder resolutions, at least not against.
  • Lewis Braham: Vanguard's Climate-Change Dismissal
    @MSF For the most part you're right. They both should be ashamed at this point, although in my piece I stated that BlackRock has long voted against such proposals. What's moved the needle is BlackRock's messaging about anthropogenic climate change having a material impact on companies' financial prospects. Vanguard hasn't even gone that far on its web site, claiming environmental proposals are social issues that have nothing to do with its fiduciary duty to shareholders. BlackRock has some other albeit small differences with Vanguard. If you examine BlackRock's ESG and socially responsible funds and ETFs you will see that their voting record differs from BlackRock's other funds, and they do in fact vote in favor of some environmental proposals. The really galling thing about Vanguard is even in its socially responsible fund--Vanguard FTSE Social Index VFTSX--a fund where they know very well that its investors believe in the importance of climate change--it still votes against or abstains from all environmental proposals the last time I checked. That is shameful in my view. Vanguard has given environmentally conscious shareholders no real option. BlackRock at least offers such options that vote differently: https://ishares.com/us/literature/shareholder-letters/proxy-voting-policy-social-index-funds.pdf
    But both are still a long way from how a more boutique socially responsible fund shop addresses environmental issues. The fact that Larry Fink at BlackRock has acknowledged climate change as a financial issue with market impacts is an important wedge, though, for investors to say to index fund managers, how can you claim to be upholding your role as a fiduciary if you routinely vote against or abstain from voting on all of these proposals? This is especially so for index fund managers as they must buy and hold stocks in their index forever. They are the ultimate long-term shareholders, meaning that climate change as the ultimate long-term risk will definitely affect the financial prospects of their investments. Shareholders who care about these issues must keep holding their feet to the fire.
    I just found BlackRock's iShares voting records for individual ETFs on its site. They should make it easier to do this, but you can see if you look at the ESG themed ETFs they do in fact vote differently: vds.issproxy.com/SearchPage.php?CustomerID=228
    Here is a list of their socially-responsible ETFs: https://ishares.com/us/products/etf-product-list#!type=ishares&tab=overview&view=list&fst=50586
  • Lewis Braham: Vanguard's Climate-Change Dismissal
    I wrote: "Thanks to Lewis for the info on Blackrock's change of heart, since its 2015 voting performance was 0%."
    Perhaps little has changed.
    FT (Nov. 26, 2016) quotes a Blackrock shareholder motion: “BlackRock’s publicly reported proxy voting record reveals consistent votes against virtually all climate-related resolutions . . . even when independent experts advance a strong business and economic case for support.” The FT article goes on to note that Blackrock voted against climate change resolutions in 2016 at ExxonMobil, Chevron, Oxy, and Conoco.
    NYTimes, Jan 16: "[D]uring the most recent reporting period ending on June 30,BlackRock voted 96.3 percent of the time to support compensation policies across the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index, according to Proxy Insight. It also voted against every shareholder proposal relating to diversity, environment, governance and social concerns over the last year"
    Is this another case of "watch what I do, not what I say"?
  • European Value Mutual Fund
    Evermore Global Value (EVGIX/EVGBX) looks interesting, but the expenses that investors actually pay according to the latest M* Prospectus are 1.53% and 1.78%, respectively. Of course, these actual expenses cannot be found on the M* front pages or expense pages of these funds.
    I would also consider MEURX (1.05% ER) available according to test trades in retirement accounts at Wellstrade ($250 minimum) and TDAmeritrade ($100K minimum).
    If it were my money, I would buy DLEUX/DSEUX (ER 0.91/0.66%) based on the excellent backtested performance of the underlying index posted previously by @davidrmoran:
    Article
    Kevin
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    I break my bond allocation down my my best estimate of the funds duration: LT 1.5, 1.5 to 3, 3 to 5 and over 5
    It must be working because the YTD returns are 0.08, 0.22, 0.76, and 2.14.
    This is just the bounce back after being oversold... Hard to believe anyone will make money in bonds if inflation breaks thru 3%... But this all depends on the President delivering the "jobs"
    If you can trade on sentiment and a belief in "making America Great Again" more power to you but it is a very very difficult task.
    I dont think I join Gary Schilling believing Treasuries are a huge buy but I use bonds as defensive assets...Cash ( at 0.3 to 0.6) now looks pretty good...
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    Hi @hank and others,
    In reviewing the income area of my portfolio which consists of two sleeves one a fixed income sleeve and the other a hybird income sleeve with a combined area total of 15 funds I do not have a single fund that has not had positive returns so far this year. And, the area as a whole is up so far this year by 1.2% as of this evenings market close.
    Can it go the other way? You can better believe it can and most likely will if the flood of recent bond money starts to flow. However, with the 10 year now yielding about 2.5% perhaps it might bring more "flood" money in as I am thinking bonds became oversold with investors selling bonds and moving money to stocks during the recent stock market bull run. And, we are now seeing investors rebalance portfolios selling off some stocks (taking profit) and now buying bonds to rebalance portfolios.
    Take care ... and, have a good evening.
    Skeet
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    Looks good on a tablet device. I'm seeing almost 2.5% on the 10 year on cnbc today. If that's accurate, suspect those investors will be racing back out again.
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    Add:
    LQD (corp. bonds) closed down today, Jan. 19 (Thursday) -.34%.
    -1% for the last two trading days......very smelly, IMHO. Perhaps most equity sectors are going to catch fire after Jan. 20. Magic eight ball indicator will not function at this house.
    Note: only 5 digit mutual fund tickers now highlight here, thus I named LQD above for those not familiar with this symbol.
  • Freddie, Fannie and Fairholme Funds
    I gave up on FAIRX, but FAIRX and FAAFX may finally see some earnings / profits come their way:
    Interview:
    former-fannie-mae-cfo-trumps-treasury-pick-can-get-fannie-out-of-government-control-reasonably-fast
  • Kopernik Global All-Cap Fund to close to new investors
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890540/000113542817000035/kopernik-497.txt
    DOCUMENT>
    497
    1
    kopernik-497.txt
    THE ADVISORS' INNER CIRCLE FUND II (THE "TRUST")
    KOPERNIK GLOBAL ALL-CAP FUND (THE "FUND")
    SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 19, 2017
    TO THE SUMMARY PROSPECTUS AND PROSPECTUS DATED MARCH 1, 2016, AS SUPPLEMENTED
    OCTOBER 24, 2016
    AND THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED MARCH 1, 2016 (THE "SAI")
    THIS SUPPLEMENT PROVIDES NEW AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BEYOND THAT CONTAINED
    IN THE SUMMARY PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTUS AND SAI, AND SHOULD BE READ IN
    CONJUNCTION WITH THE SUMMARY PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTUS AND SAI.
    Effective March 31, 2017 (the "Effective Date"), the Fund will be closed to
    certain new investments because Kopernik Global Investors, LLC (the "Adviser")
    believes that the implementation of the Fund's investment strategy may be
    adversely affected if the size of the Fund is not limited.
    While any existing shareholder may continue to reinvest Fund dividends and
    distributions, other new investments in the Fund may only be made by those
    investors within the following categories:
    o Direct shareholders of the Fund as of the Effective Date and the date
    of the new investment;
    o Participants in qualified retirement plans that offer shares of the
    Fund as an investment option as of the Effective Date; and
    o Trustees and officers of the Trust, employees of the Adviser, and
    their immediate family members.
    The Fund reserves the right to modify the above criteria, suspend all sales of
    new shares or reject any specific purchase order for any reason.
    PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
    KGI-SK-004-0100
  • Investors race back to U.S. bond funds
    The immediate below is yesterday, Jan. 18, Wednesday:
    Day, Week, One month, Three month and YTD
    LQD (Price) -0.66, -0.44, 1.93, -3.15, 0.28
    Corporate bonds were one of the better performing bond sectors in the investment grade area for most of 2016. This bond area got the whack from July, 2016 until late November when money started to buy these bonds again.
    This bond area, if nothing changes for today (Jan. 19) will go negative for YTD at the market close.
    A trend? Watching at this house is all I can state right now.
    Oh, the times, they are a chang'in.....Well, yes; always chang'in.
    Take care,
    Catch