Mutual funds are one choice for meeting your retirement goals or other financial objectives. Choosing the ones that are right for you is the tough part, as roughly 7,500 are available.
The eighth annual IBD Best Mutual Funds Awards can help you figure out which funds to buy or sell. Each award-winning fund outperformed its benchmark for the past one, three, five and 10 years, showing its ability to outperform in both the short term and long haul. Among funds at least 10 years old, that's a feat only 13% of eligible funds can claim.
This year, 488 funds qualified. Diversified stock funds also appear in the relevant investing style (growth, value or blend) and market capitalization (large cap, midcap, small cap) categories. If you don't see funds you own, you might look for better options.
The table below shows the top five funds in each category based on 10-year return, except in value, small-cap and municipal bond funds, where fewer than five funds were award winners. Also, no index funds qualified.
For more details, see the overview article on our 2023 mutual funds study, or read about Kinetics Small Cap Opportunities, the top fund in the diversified stock funds, growth stocks and small-cap categories.
All returns are as of Dec. 31, 2022.
Best U.S. Diversified Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new investors |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Kinetics Small Cap Opportunities |
KSCOX |
31.96 |
26.6 |
20.93 |
18.07 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Oberweis Micro-Cap |
OBMCX |
-10.61 |
21.22 |
13.76 |
17.26 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Paradigm No Load |
WWNPX |
29.18 |
22.62 |
17.84 |
16.5 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Market Opportunities No Load |
KMKNX |
14.98 |
20.74 |
14.01 |
15.71 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Spin-Off and Corp Rest Adv A |
LSHAX |
39.45 |
27.94 |
20.32 |
14.63 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
Best Growth Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Kinetics Small Cap Opportunities No Load |
KSCOX |
31.96 |
26.6 |
20.93 |
18.07 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Oberweis Micro-Cap |
OBMCX |
-10.61 |
21.22 |
13.76 |
17.26 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Paradigm |
WWNPX |
29.18 |
22.62 |
17.84 |
16.5 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Market Opportunities |
KMKNX |
14.98 |
20.74 |
14.01 |
15.71 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Spin-Off and Corp Rest Adv A |
LSHAX |
39.45 |
27.94 |
20.32 |
14.63 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
Best Blend Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Natixis Vaughan Nelson Select Y |
VNSYX |
-16.65 |
11.32 |
10.97 |
13.78 |
Large Blend |
No |
| Federated Hermes MDT All Cap Core IS |
QIACX |
-14.03 |
11.21 |
11.22 |
13.45 |
Large Blend |
No |
| Jensen Quality Growth J |
JENSX |
-16.52 |
8.72 |
11.12 |
13.38 |
Large Blend |
No |
| Putnam Core Equity Fund Y |
PMYYX |
-15.87 |
8.98 |
9.57 |
13.32 |
Large Blend |
No |
| GMO Quality IV |
GQEFX |
-15.17 |
8.27 |
10.95 |
13.07 |
Large Blend |
No |
Best Value Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Parnassus Value Equity Investor |
PARWX |
-13.81 |
12.92 |
10.67 |
14.51 |
Large Value |
No |
| Smead Value Investor |
SMVLX |
-2.78 |
12.11 |
11.12 |
13.32 |
Large Value |
No |
| Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Inv |
NPRTX |
-1.22 |
13.15 |
12.21 |
12.71 |
Large Value |
Yes |
| Victory Sycamore Established Value R |
GETGX |
-3.03 |
11.02 |
9.45 |
12.64 |
Mid-Cap Value |
Yes |
Best Large-Cap Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Parnassus Value Equity Investor |
PARWX |
-13.81 |
12.92 |
10.67 |
14.51 |
Large Value |
No |
| Calvert Equity A |
CSIEX |
-17.58 |
9.71 |
13.62 |
13.85 |
Large Growth |
No |
| AMG Renaissance Large Cap Growth Z |
MRLIX |
-16.83 |
10.39 |
11.17 |
13.82 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Natixis Vaughan Nelson Select Y |
VNSYX |
-16.65 |
11.32 |
10.97 |
13.78 |
Large Blend |
No |
| DFA US Large Cap Growth Instl |
DUSLX |
-15.56 |
9.26 |
11.06 |
13.53 |
Large Growth |
No |
Best Midcap Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Kinetics Paradigm No Load |
WWNPX |
29.18 |
22.62 |
17.84 |
16.5 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Market Opportunities No Load |
KMKNX |
14.98 |
20.74 |
14.01 |
15.71 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
| Kinetics Spin-Off and Corp Rest Adv A |
LSHAX |
39.45 |
27.94 |
20.32 |
14.63 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Core I |
PKSFX |
-10.86 |
8.76 |
12.09 |
14.43 |
Midcap Growth |
Yes |
| Value Line Mid Cap Focused |
VLIFX |
-9.56 |
9.16 |
13 |
13.54 |
Midcap Growth |
No |
Best Small-Cap Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| Kinetics Small Cap Opportunities |
KSCOX |
31.96 |
26.6 |
20.93 |
18.07 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Oberweis Micro-Cap |
OBMCX |
-10.61 |
21.22 |
13.76 |
17.26 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Oberweis Small-Cap Opportunities |
OBSOX |
-11.17 |
19.1 |
14.41 |
14.62 |
Small Growth |
No |
Best Sector Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
-18.11% |
7.66% |
9.42% |
12.56% |
|
|
| T. Rowe Price Health Sciences |
PRHSX |
-12.19 |
8.98 |
11.08 |
15.91 |
Health |
No |
| Fidelity Select Health Care Svcs Port |
FSHCX |
0.84 |
12.82 |
13.72 |
15.78 |
Health |
No |
| Janus Henderson Global Life Sciences D |
JNGLX |
-2.7 |
9.28 |
11.96 |
15.73 |
Health |
Yes |
| BlackRock Health Sciences Opps Inv A |
SHSAX |
-5.92 |
7.91 |
11.19 |
15.18 |
Health |
No |
| Fidelity Select Insurance Port |
FSPCX |
7.76 |
11.61 |
9.92 |
13.59 |
Financial |
No |
Best International Stock Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: MSCI EAFE |
|
-14.45% |
0.87% |
1.54% |
4.67% |
|
|
| Thornburg Global Opportunities I |
THOIX |
-10.08 |
8.17 |
5.27 |
9.81 |
Global Large-Stock Blend |
No |
| Pioneer Global Sustainable Equity A |
GLOSX |
-9.81 |
9.53 |
6.28 |
9.44 |
Global Large-Stock Value |
No |
| Janus Henderson Global Select D |
JANRX |
-9.96 |
6.69 |
6.89 |
9.38 |
Global Large-Stock Blend |
Yes |
| USAA Capital Growth |
USCGX |
-13.43 |
5.41 |
4.49 |
9.33 |
Global Large-Stock Blend |
No |
| ALPS/Kotak India ESG I |
INDIX |
-12.35 |
8.41 |
3.97 |
9.3 |
India Equity |
No |
Best U.S. Taxable Bond Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond |
|
-13.01% |
-2.71% |
0.02% |
1.06% |
|
|
| Victory INCORE Investment Grd Convert A |
SBFCX |
-11.63 |
2.94 |
5.41 |
8.03 |
Convertibles |
No |
| Fairholme Focused Income |
FOCIX |
6 |
4.54 |
2.71 |
6.4 |
High Yield Bond |
No |
| Miller Convertible Bond I |
MCIFX |
-10.56 |
3.88 |
3.68 |
6.01 |
Convertibles |
No |
| Fidelity Capital & Income |
FAGIX |
-10.46 |
3.29 |
4.31 |
5.82 |
High Yield Bond |
No |
| Fidelity Advisor High Income Advtg M |
FAHYX |
-10.47 |
2.67 |
3.74 |
5.33 |
High Yield Bond |
No |
Best Municipal Bond Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal Bond |
|
-8.53% |
-0.77% |
1.25% |
2.13% |
|
|
| Colorado BondShares A Tax-Exempt |
HICOX |
-4.53 |
1.72 |
3.23 |
3.73 |
Muni Single State Interm |
No |
| Allspring Managed Acct CoreBuilder M |
WFCMX |
-8.37 |
-0.64 |
1.76 |
3.06 |
Muni National Interm |
No |
| SMA Relationship M |
SRTMX |
-6.76 |
-0.23 |
1.53 |
2.35 |
Muni National Interm |
No |
Best International Bond Mutual Funds
| Mutual Fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return |
3-year average total return |
5-year average total return |
10-year average total return |
Morningstar Category |
Closed To New Inv |
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond |
|
-16.25% |
-4.48% |
-1.66% |
-0.44% |
|
|
| Voya VACS Series EMCD |
IMCDX |
-12.7 |
-1.57 |
1.25 |
2.99 |
Emerging Markets Bond |
No |
| Virtus Stone Harbor EmergMkts Corp Dbt I |
SHCDX |
-11.76 |
-1.03 |
1.03 |
2.68 |
Emerging Markets Bond |
No |
| PIMCO International Bond (USD-Hdg) Instl |
PFORX |
-9.84 |
-2 |
0.72 |
2.61 |
Global Bond-USD Hedged |
No |
| Franklin Emerging Market Debt Opps |
FEMDX |
-8.86 |
-1.27 |
0.88 |
2.53 |
Emerging Markets Bond |
No |
| T. Rowe Price Emerging Mkts Corp Bd |
TRECX |
-12.32 |
-2.69 |
0.49 |
2.25 |
Emerging Markets Bond |
No |
Sources: IBD, Morningstar Direct
The 2023 Best Mutual Funds logo and accolades are available for licensing through Investor's Business Daily's partner, The YGS Group. For more information and ordering, please visit www.IBDlicensing.com or call 800-290-5460.
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