stillers "Pretty sure that following a poster from one internet board to another, primarily to harass or criticize, on CHRISTMAS DAY no less, elevates ones already despicable status of "troll" all the way to "TROLL.""
I'm active on MFO since 2017 and make comments about funds and especially bond funds. Can you please show where my comments were off base?

dtconroe has already tried to tell you the answer to that question.
But as is your style, you've challenged/not accepted his explanation.
But that's all minutiae.
The Big Picture here is dtconroe, a highly valued bond poster, left M* largely due to his/their/both inability to control you there. He's started posting on MFO for the time being, moving this specific thread topic here (the one that appears to have been his final undoing with you on M*) in attempts to engage with others without interference from YOU.
But that seems impossible unless MFO does something about it.
Most seriously though bub...
Is your life is SO miserable and empty that you need to TROLL posters from one board to another on freaking CHRISTMAS DAY? (BTW, that's rhetorical for everyone but you.)

stillers "Pretty sure that following a poster from one internet board to another, primarily to harass or criticize, on CHRISTMAS DAY no less, elevates ones already despicable status of "troll" all the way to "TROLL.""
I'm active on MFO since 2017 and make comments about funds and especially bond funds. Can you please show where my comments were off base?

https://www.bondbuyer.com/news/municipals-poised-for-big-year-in-2020?position=editorial_1&campaignname=BB_Daily_DailyBriefing_Test_NonPaid-12262019&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BB_Daily_DailyBriefing_Test_NonPaid+'-'+12262019&bt_ee=6xDRiBdbmXsKTnOsUFN43QBpoDTPTVYDzFJZMshHtNhVeVAi1WqYbBH6KClbYWoE&bt_ts=1577358077086
Munis poised for big year in 2020
By Aaron Weitzman
Munis finished above $400 billion for the fourth time since 2010 and fourth time in the past three years.

FD1000,
So now you are stalking DT on this board too?
...
You need to be aware of what you are doing...

Pretty sure that following a poster from one internet board to another, primarily to harass or criticize, on CHRISTMAS DAY no less, elevates ones already despicable status of "troll" all the way to "TROLL."
It's something rarely seen, but then so is jumping protocol from a "double dog dare" to a "triple dog dare." (See A Christmas Story.)
But then, 'tis the season.
On a far more serious note, I kindly suggest the moderator here gets this poster under control immediately lest MFO suffer the same fate as other boards.

FD: "Why would any reasonable retiree go for a long term of 3% performance for their whole taxable account?"
FD, my statement above was: "I have generally wanted funds in my taxable account, with an average total return history of over 3%." Some funds in my taxable account have a total return history (at least 5 years) of close to 5%, some have a total return history of close to 4%, and some have a total return history of a little over 3%. BTMIX and DBLSX had a 2019 performance of over 3% (the only year I owned them, but there longer term history is not as good as other funds in my taxable account, and I am not counting on them to exceed a TR of over 3% going forward, so I am considering replacing them.
Secondly, I would request that you not engage in criticizing, or questioning, any poster on this thread, including me. Each investor has their own personal reasons for why they hold certain bond oefs, and it is not my place to tell anyone they are doing anything wrong, or that they are somehow not a good investor because they pick funds different than I pick. I would like to request you follow that principle in your commentary on this thread, and cease being critical of what others are doing. I

FD1000,
So now you are stalking DT on this board too?
Let me give you some advice, if you continue to harass someone who is not interested in your “advice”, you are setting yourself up for possible legal action against you. He could very easily get an OP (order of protection) to prevent you from communicating with him in any way.
You need to be aware of what you are doing...

I can't hear the video so someone else will have to provide color. Apparently Mr. Hyman has an enviable record as the #1 Wall Street economist.
Positive 2020

dtconroe: I have held BTMIX for all of 2019, and it had a good year, but it averages below 3% total return over its history. I have generally wanted funds in my taxable account, with an average total return history of over 3%. Both BTMIX and DBLSX can have TR years of over 3%, but they usually revert back to their "safe" but lower TR. I have held NVHAX periodically in the past, but it is more volatile and risky than BTMIX"
FD:Looking at short-term duration Muni funds NVHAX,BTMIX,VMPAX,ORSTX. For 3 year performance, Portfolio Visualizer (link) shows that NVHAX performance is 2-3 times better and it's SD=1.5 was worth it and why NVHAX Sharpe ratio + Sortino are much better.
dtconroe: I have already stated the "reason" why we are looking at very conservative bond oef funds for my wife's IRA."
FD: My post was about your use of BTMIX in a taxable account per your post earlier.
BTMIX had a good year? YTD it made only 3.96% while NVHAX made 7.65% and many inter-term Muni made over 10%.
Why would any reasonable retiree go for a long term of 3% performance for their whole taxable account?

ZEOIX has been on my wish list since 2014 when I wanted to find a low risk fund with similar risk-reward characteristics as the closed RPHYX. David did a nice review of ZEOIX back then and I know he has talked highly of it in interviews. Problem for me is that one of my buy criteria is not to pay a transfer fee for any fund. Alas, at Schwab and TRP where the bulk of my money sits there is that fee. I check periodically on my Schwab account to see if that has changed but it has not.
For those interested, Zeo Capital Advisers has started another low risk credit fund with similar objectives and style to ZEOIX. It is called Zeo sustainable credit fund, ZSRIX.
https://www.zeo.com/strategy/

I am grateful for learning about mutual thrifts from reading one of Peter Lynch's books many years ago. He listed a large number of these thrifts (usually savings and loans) in his book. I was also able to identify around 100 more on my own, and as a result I went on a mission of becoming a depositor/part owner of several thrifts that eventually went public, offering their depositors the opportunity to participate in their IPOs. I never lost money on any of these IPOs. Thank you, Peter Lynch. (Unfortunately, this game has essentially run its course now that only a handful have not gone public.)

I have watched FPFIX since inception. It is available through Schwab for $100k in taxable accounts, but you can get it for $5000 in IRAs. It is a nontraditional bond oef, and is from a company that has a heavy emphasis on "absolute" return objectives. The ER is pretty much in line with most nontraditional bond oefs, although higher than I would prefer to pay. I would prefer a nontraditional bond oef that pays a little higher yield, but it is a little too early in its history to draw too many conclusions about how this fund will perform. For me, I will wait and watch, and form my opinions a little later, after I have seen more performance to evaluate.

Unless you own higher % in stocks I don't see the reason to own very low SD bond funds. The following is a simple example based on several funds mentioned in this thread.
Looking at short-term duration Muni funds NVHAX,BTMIX,VMPAX,ORSTX. For 3 year performance, Portfolio Visualizer (link) shows that NVHAX performance is 2-3 times better and it's SD=1.5 was worth it and why NVHAX Sharpe ratio + Sortino are much better.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/t-rowe-1-trillion-answer-100007947.html
T. Rowe’s $1 Trillion Answer to Claims Stock-Picking Is Dead
Bloomberg) -- Stock pickers may be under siege after decades of ruling Wall Street, but not every old-school champion of active mutual funds is losing ground to cheaper rivals tracking indexes.

@bee, Thank you. Matthew McLennan and Ed Hyman's interview was particularly informative. McLennan's First Eagle Global fund, SGIIX, is doing well this year with YTD return 19.8% while holding 14% cash.

I missed much of this conversation--had a family Christmas gathering tonight. I just started posting on this forum, after years of posting on M*. This thread is very much in line with two recent threads I started at M*, in which I used the same posting name. I made a post at M* that I was going to start posting on the MFO forum, and invited others to join me, including Gary1952 and Craignw. MikeM asked what OEF stands for--Open End Fund. Craignw, nice to see you posting here and hope ZEOIX works well for you. Mona, thanks for the kind words. For those who do not know me, I look forward to getting to know each of you, and look forward exchanging ideas and sharing information.

I cut my gold investment, IAU, in half in early November. Mainly because rate hikes were being placed on hold and it felt like a recession was now pushed further in the future. I bought in Dec. '18 because of political turmoil, rising rates and the possibility of a major pull back in equities. I'm watching for the next sign of upward movement in gold to increase my stake again. I think when equities correct at some point, maybe in early 2020 gold may move again.
I guess I've never heard the term gold stocks before, but I won't touch the miners. To volatile for this guy, but my hats off to those who know how to play them.

The following 2 great funds SEMMX+DHEIX invest mainly in securitized bonds (just like FPFIX) + ST duration + have better performance + better risk attributes. See this (link) results since the inception of FPFIX

Hi,dtconroe
Back in late November 2018, you spoke about several funds, of which ZEOIX was one. Usually high yield is too volatile for my investing choices. I researched this fund and found it to be in my wheel house after all. I bought 5000 shares in November of 2018. It has posted a return of 5.33% ytd. The fund has a low volatility with a duration of 0.88 years. My nav in the fund is up since purchase, with a nice monthly yield.....thank you for the heads up on this fund.
craignw

Recently issued prospectus:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924727/000110465919075560/a19-25191_4497.htm
supplement:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924727/000110465919075557/a19-25191_1497.htm

One issue I am evaluating is how much, and what kind, of bond oefs, I want to hold in my taxable account. I have held BTMIX for all of 2019, and it had a good year, but it averages below 3% total return over its history. I have generally wanted funds in my taxable account, with an average total return history of over 3%. Both BTMIX and DBLSX can have TR years of over 3%, but they usually revert back to their "safe" but lower TR. I have held NVHAX periodically in the past, but it is more volatile and risky than BTMIX. I have a few shares of SEMMX in my taxable account, and it has a history of averaging close to 5% over it history. SEMMX is not tax efficient, so if I increased it in my taxable account, I would restrict the portfolio percentage in a smaller amount. Another fund I do not hold, but interests me, is ZEOIX. In my taxable account, I prefer to hold several different kind of bond oefs, for some diversification benefits. Holding a Muni fund, a nontraditional bond fund, a short term bond fund, and a short duration HY bond fund, would be a nice, but low risk diversification mix. Any thoughts on the benefits of holding a diverse array of bond oefs in your taxable account?