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Kiplinger: Mutual Fund Rankings, 2013: 1-3-5-10-20 Years

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  • edited August 2013
    I took a quick-look at "Kiplinger's 25 Favorite No-Load Mutual Funds," which come with following rationale:
    Every year, we put together the Kiplinger 25, a list of our favorite no-load mutual funds. We favor funds run by seasoned managers who take a long view and have proved themselves able to weather many a storm. And we prefer low to below-average fees.
    This is the kind of article I think a beginning or novice investor would take to heart.

    Here's how they rate in the MFO system:

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    Not a bad list, just so many other top offerings do not appear, like: OAKIX, ARTKX, MAPOX, YACKX, BBTEX, SMVLX, COBYX, FMILX, SEQUX, VEIPX, BHBFX, ARDEX, GABCX, FPNIX, TGLMX, FILDX, MERDX, POAGX, NSEIX, BCSIX, FSCRX.

    Often wonder if such lists are somehow sponsored by the fund companies, directly or indirectly. Hope not, just probably healthy be somewhat skeptical, which comes easier with age=).
  • Reply to @Charles: Read this article last night. I don't know, if it's being read by someone who doesn't spend nearly as much time on this subject as we do, I'm kind of impressed with Kiplinger's list. It's much different when giving financial advice to a wide audience regarding an individual's life savings so kind of expect them to be a tad more conservative. However, they do have more information if one wants to dig, and have recommended newer funds from proven managers in the past such as AKREX & DBLTX when it came out.
  • edited August 2013
    Concur with Tony.
    Since I am mutual fund junkie like most of you here, the first personal finance mag that I read when I go to library is Kiplinger before even I attempt to read Money, Smartmoney (when it was there), etc. IMO, Money is the most boring magazine, I just skim through it.
    Kiplinger is the best for for mutual funds.

    Of course, the best of all are forums of M* and M. Observer.:-)
  • Reply to @mrc70 and Tony: Good points, understand. Just wish there was a way to warn new investors that, while DODGX is indeed top-notch (value strategy, large cap, low fees, high integrity shop), it has experienced significant drawdowns of -60% in shorter periods, like 3 years. Ditto for DODFX. Both seem to be perennial favorites on Kiplinger and M* for that matter. And perhaps rightly so...just, something seems missing to me. Some kind of further disclosure. Oh well, thanks again.
  • Reply to @Charles: I'm with ya on Dodge & Cox, always wondered what the big deal about that shop was. There is much better out there when it comes to proven management teams, Oakmark & Vanguard just to name a couple
  • Until 2008-9, DODGX had a great record, as I should know, since I bought it based largely on Kiplinger.
    The interesting aspect of the K recommendations is how few rate risk scores in the moderate or lower range. but that may be a function of the MFO rating system so that most successful stock funds will inherently have a higher risk score. Guess we just have to look at the 5 and 10 year return ratings so the Great Recession returns are included
  • I kind of like lists that don't have some of funds I own. keeps them underowned.
  • Reply to @ron: Ha! Good point.
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