Fund performance

Founder Nancy Davis says her recently converted long-only product reflects the direction of travel for the broader asset management industry.

Probabilistic forecasts provide a durable framework for a sound financial future, the author says, and offers some for the new year.

The top 20 more than doubled the gains of their fixed-income industry peers.

The top 20 to debut last year by total assets include only three products from BlackRock and none from Vanguard or State Street.

Time and again, they’ve seemingly held up during periods of market stress and proved the skeptics wrong.

The biggest losses this year came from sectors that suffered the most in lockdown.

Steady inflows showcase the buy-and-hold ethos of the typical Vanguard investor — financial advisors and wealth managers, an expert says.

With an average gain of more than 108%, the lineup includes actively managed leaders with fees well above 100 basis points.

Despite a rocky year, these 20 funds recorded an average return of 13.6%.

Net flows have slowed in 2020 at the fund giant as rivals continue to roll out similar products amid the rise of robo advisors and almost-free trading.

The top 20 outpaced the broader industry and had an average net expense ratio far below the 0.45% investors paid last year.

The scale of the withdrawal indicates that the ETF is both being used by large institutions and a favorite with retail investors, an expert says.

While broadening stock-market gains may one day provide more fertile ground for picking equities, right now fundamental managers are struggling.

Global equities notched their largest monthly gain since at least 1988, while multiple major benchmarks are at or near all-time highs.

The 20 mutual funds and ETFs on this list have an average fee of roughly 111 basis points.

The top 20 have delivered overall outperformance. However, their gains come with fees more than twice the industry average.

The average expense ratio for this group was more than 100 basis points.

“Their top holdings are focused on those companies that have benefited in a post-COVID world,” an expert says.

Fees among the leaders range from as little as two basis points to as high as 125 basis points.

“These are tracking the industries that are supporting the economy and will continue in the post-pandemic world,” an expert says.