This year's finalists are Jeffrey Gundlach of the TCW Galileo Total Return Bond, Tom Metzold of the Eaton Vance National Municipals, John Miller of Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond, and Tad Rivelle, David Lippman, Laird Landmann and Stephen Kane of the Metropolitan West Total Return Bond.
The winners will be announced early in January.
In picking the finalists, Morningstar sought managers that stand out, those with strong strategies, and those who have proved that they have the ability to create long-term value for shareholders. The stewardship and shareholder-friendliness of each fund is taken into consideration as well.
"We look for funds that do right by investors by keeping costs down and by communicating with shareholders about their defeats as well as their victories," said Scott Berry, an analyst at Morningstar.
