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Truly a bizarre list. Appleseed APPLX the best international value fund? Last time I looked it owned about 50% in US and 20% in gold. And most of their selections are front-end loaded, unless you access them through someone like Schwab. Even more strange are the choices, of lack thereof, for runners-up. Oh well, every firm has their favorites. But this is indeed an unusual group. Thailand and Malaysia the best ETF international funds????
What's the percentage of load funds these days? 2/3? 3/4? So it wouldn't be too surprising if most of their selections were load funds - you'd expect that by random selection - and since the load is supposed to be paying for the service you're receiving rather than the investment, it doesn't come into play when evaluating the fund itself.
But the reality is that most of the winners are no load funds, especially in the broad categories.
Of the 25 stock fund winners, we have the following no loads: FSCHX, NOIEX, WASIX, LOGSX, TBGVX, WTIFX, APPLX, YAFFX, OTPSX, HDOGX, FMLSX, WEHIX, BMDSX, MPMVX (though this one is cheating - noload Invesco shares are generally closed), TGLDX, PFOPX, JASCX, ROGSX. That's 17 or 18 out of 25 that are no load.
Of the 9 bond fund winners, the no loads are: PHYSX, FNMIX, USIBX, (PIMCo's PAGNX is available as a no-load PGNDX, with the identical expense ratio, and the identical 1,990% turnover), (Wells Fargo's WMFAX is available as investor class shares SXFIX with a virtually identical expense ratio), SMTFX. That's 4-6 out of 9, depending on how you count the funds.
Hardly defending the fund choices here, though they do make an interesting group.
Comments
Regards,
Ted
But the reality is that most of the winners are no load funds, especially in the broad categories.
Of the 25 stock fund winners, we have the following no loads: FSCHX, NOIEX, WASIX, LOGSX, TBGVX, WTIFX, APPLX, YAFFX, OTPSX, HDOGX, FMLSX, WEHIX, BMDSX, MPMVX (though this one is cheating - noload Invesco shares are generally closed), TGLDX, PFOPX, JASCX, ROGSX. That's 17 or 18 out of 25 that are no load.
Of the 9 bond fund winners, the no loads are: PHYSX, FNMIX, USIBX, (PIMCo's PAGNX is available as a no-load PGNDX, with the identical expense ratio, and the identical 1,990% turnover), (Wells Fargo's WMFAX is available as investor class shares SXFIX with a virtually identical expense ratio), SMTFX. That's 4-6 out of 9, depending on how you count the funds.
Hardly defending the fund choices here, though they do make an interesting group.