ALERT: Morningstar daily emails AND Portfolios Show INCORRECT Information

CathyG

I have M* send me daily email updates on the performance of my investments in several Portfolios. I've noticed in the last few days that the gain/loss totals in the emails are NOT the same as what the Portfolio's show on the morning after (when all updates have, in the past, usually been made) for at least a few of my funds. But this morning, in checking yesterday's gains/losses in my Portfolio's, I noticed a few very unlikely results for yesterday (i.e., Portfolio shows GOODX LOST -2.04%, but when I checked M*'s fund tab for this, it shows GOODX GAINED +2.87 (the amount I would have expected from yesterday's results).

I have notified M*, but wanted to let those of you who track your investments gains/losses through M* Portfolios to be aware that I, at least, have found errors, which could have made my careful monitoring of gains/losses for months now possibly completely wrong, depending upon how long these errors have occurred.

ma710

Yes Cathy its true. Noticed it too.

Investor

They had a website update issue on 8/11. The portfolio data was from the day before.

CathyG

Reply to @Investor: Yes, data was from day before, but even incorrect then. Emails I received showing data for Friday's returns (for correct date) even worse. Showed almost 1/2 of funds returns incorrectly (i.e., showed PRIIX -1.60 when actually gained +1.54, email showed HARRX down -0.95 when actually gained +0.62. Many more examples.

Even worse, when I went to actual portfolio this morning, M* showed Portfolio gain of +0.23 for yesterday, which would have been $491 added to end Thursdays totals. Yet M* only showed less than $35 gain from those totals.

I've emailed M* and they said "we're looking into it" (as usual), but I wanted to let other readers here know not to use M* returns for your data unless you verify everything.

Investor

If you look at your portfolio during transition period some of the data might not be correct (indication previous day results) and I think this is normal. Sometimes, it is the fund that is late to publishing its results so it does not make to one of the web site update times. Check next morning. It is not a big deal.

hawkmountain

Hi Cathy G. I am also perplexed by some stuff M* does with my port, but haven't gotten around to contacting them.
I have a final column labeled 'dividend amount'. Not only does it fluctuate daily, it fluctuates intra-day. None of our stuff pays more than once a month, most pays quarterly. Huh???
Also, I have preferred stocks (XCJ, GAR, FGC, ALM) and two income funds (DWS, DNI) and M* does not post their dividend amounts at any time. Big pain in rear.
One never knows, do one?
best, hawk

catch22

Mr. hawk.............

Glad, and pleased to find you writing here.

Hoping all is well in your part of the world.

Take care of you and yours,

Catch

CathyG

Reply to @Investor: Thanks, Investor. I have accepted and accounted for the end-of-the month delays M*'s portfolios have in not updating some dividends in the Portfolios until a day or two after. But since I have several brokerage accounts that I would have to sign in daily if I want investment returns I am tracking, I use my M* portfolios results daily instead. Though I would certainly verify all figures with the brokers accounts before I would make any actual investment changes, having several of M*'s returns be incorrect defeats my monitoring purposes.

CathyG

Reply to @hawkmountain: Thanks for your follow-up, Hawk. I'm sorry to hear that you're also having problems with M*s dividend amount. It does mess up our evaluations, doesn't it. Let me know if they ever fix your problem.

hawkmountain

Reply to @catch22:

Hi Catch! Thanks for the greetings. I wander in here occasionally, though not as much as at FA. It's always nice to see your posts. Take care.
best, hawk