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Bonds: Top corporate funds of the past 3 years

Despite the sentiment that fixed-income yields are low in the U.S., investor money is pouring in. Those yields are still better than other fixed-income markets across the world, which, in some cases have gone negative. So, unsurprisingly, many foreign investors are looking for yield outside their home markets and U.S. fixed income, across the board, is reaping the benefits.

We've ranked the following bond funds by three-year return figures. However, given the recent surge of foreign money, the one-year numbers are generally even higher. As usual, we also show the expense ratios for each fund. Since ETFs are part of our mix, expenses range from a few basis points (actually, one of them is zero) to about 1%.

Click through to see all the funds. All data are from Morningstar.
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20. PIA BBB Bond

Ticker: PBBBX
1-Yr. Return: 2.06%
3-Yr. Return: 2.44%
Expense Ratio: 0.15%
Fund assets (millions): $215
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19. BMO TCH Corporate Income

Ticker: MCIIX
1-Yr. Return: 1.52%
3-Yr. Return: 2.51%
Expense Ratio: 0.45%
Fund assets (millions): $200
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18. Oppenheimer Corporate Bond

Ticker: OFIAX
1-Yr. Return: 1.99%
3-Yr. Return: 2.58%
Expense Ratio: 1.00%
Fund assets (millions): $178
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17. Thrivent Income

Ticker: LUBIX
1-Yr. Return: 2.40%
3-Yr. Return: 2.61%
Expense Ratio: 0.77%
Fund assets (millions): $775
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16. Calamos Total Return Bond

Ticker: CTRAX
1-Yr. Return: 2.88%
3-Yr. Return: 2.63%
Expense Ratio: 0.90%
Fund assets (millions): $101
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15. MFS Corporate Bond

Ticker: MFBFX
1-Yr. Return: 3.25%
3-Yr. Return: 2.70%
Expense Ratio: 0.82%
Fund assets (millions): $3,110
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14. JPMorgan Corporate Bond

Ticker: CBRAX
1-Yr. Return: 3.78%
3-Yr. Return: 2.91%
Expense Ratio: 0.74%
Fund assets (millions): $1,993
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13. PIMCO Investment Grade Corp Bd Instl

Ticker: PIGIX
1-Yr. Return: 3.24%
3-Yr. Return: 2.96%
Expense Ratio: 0.50%
Fund assets (millions): $8,002
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12. Vanguard Interm-Term Invmt-Grade Inv

Ticker: VFICX
1-Yr. Return: 4.25%
3-Yr. Return: 3.01%
Expense Ratio: 0.20%
Fund assets (millions): $25,381
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11. T. Rowe Price Corporate Income

Ticker: PRPIX
1-Yr. Return: 3.23%
3-Yr. Return: 3.06%
Expense Ratio: 0.62%
Fund assets (millions): $816
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10. DFA Intermediate-Term Extnd Qlty

Ticker: DFTEX
1-Yr. Return: 4.93%
3-Yr. Return: 3.18%
Expense Ratio: 0.22%
Fund assets (millions): $1,221
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9. Invesco Corporate Bond

Ticker: ACCBX
1-Yr. Return: 2.76%
3-Yr. Return: 3.28%
Expense Ratio: 0.90%
Fund assets (millions): $1,087
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8. Vanguard Interm-Tm Corp Bd Idx

Ticker: VICBX
1-Yr. Return: 4.40%
3-Yr. Return: 3.38%
Expense Ratio: 0.07%
Fund assets (millions): $9,053
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7. BlackRock Allocation Target Shrs

Ticker: BRACX
1-Yr. Return: 3.28%
3-Yr. Return: 3.39%
Expense Ratio: N/A
Fund assets (millions): $363
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6. Western Asset Corporate Bond

Ticker: SIGAX
1-Yr. Return: 2.64%
3-Yr. Return: 3.60%
Expense Ratio: 1.02%
Fund assets (millions): $361
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5. Delaware Extended Duration Bond

Ticker: DEEAX
1-Yr. Return: 4.04%
3-Yr. Return: 3.66%
Expense Ratio: 0.98%
Fund assets (millions): $620
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4. Payden Corporate Bond

Ticker: PYACX
1-Yr. Return: 4.69%
3-Yr. Return: 3.98%
Expense Ratio: 0.65%
Fund assets (millions): $116
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3. Vanguard Long-Term Corp Bond Idx

Ticker: VLCIX
1-Yr. Return: 7.38%
3-Yr. Return: 4.72%
Expense Ratio: 0.07%
Fund assets (millions): $1,621
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2. SEI Long Duration Credit

Ticker: SLDAX
1-Yr. Return: 8.79%
3-Yr. Return: 5.29%
Expense Ratio: 0.15%
Fund assets (millions): $3,271
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1. Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Inv

Ticker: VWESX
1-Yr. Return: 9.79%
3-Yr. Return: 5.61%
Expense Ratio: 0.21%
Fund assets (millions): $14,894
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