One nearly sacrosanct investing truism is that you can't possibly beat the market with mutual funds. Roughly three out of four of the suckers lose to the S&P over the long haul, so what hope can fund investors possibly have?
Abandon hope, all ye who enter here .
The good news is you don't need to rely on hope to get the market-beating job done with funds. Instead, as with most things that really matter, you need to rely on reason -- and on doing your homework.
By using the same kind of research and analysis techniques on funds that stock jocks (you know who you are) use on equities, you can truly smash the market. Of course, the "data points" (as the pros like to say) are different. A savvy investor will want to factor in:
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Fees. As I've said time and time again, with mutual funds, you generally get what you don't pay for. So search for funds with below-average expense ratios, and avoid load funds like the proverbial plague.
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Tax efficiency. Assuming you're investing in a non-tax-sheltered account (IRA, anyone?), a fund with high turnover is likely to increase your tax obligations, so all else being equal, it's smart to look for a manager with a buy-to-hold strategy.
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Manager. Just as insider ownership is vital to small- or mid-cap stock investing, an experienced fund manager who eats his or her own cooking is an indicator prospective investors should look for. My rule of thumb, by the way, is to look for managers with at least five years of experience at the ship they're running.
- Strategy. Along those same lines, the fund's manager should have a proven strategy that's been battle tested over numerous market cycles.
These four data points are a solid starting homework assignment. Star ratings and Lipper scores are purely backward-looking measures, after all. And if the skipper who earned those marks is no longer on the scene, there's a strong probability that you shouldn't be, either.
You say it can't be done?
Fund geek that I am, I firmly believe that every investor -- stock jocks included -- should anchor their overall portfolio in a choice collection of mutual funds before assuming the much greater risk comes with investing in individual equities. And, for the record, I believe that investors can beat the market with choice mutual funds.
At Motley Fool Champion Funds -- the Fool newsletter service that I head up -- we've been doing just that. Indeed, since first opening for business back in March 2004, our list of recommended funds has outperformed the market by more than 13 percentage points, and each of our model portfolios -- which come in Aggressive, Moderate, and Conservative flavors -- are beating their benchmarks, too.
Last but not least: Our newsletter's showing has come amid far less volatility than you'd get with a portfolio of individual stocks. Which means that -- tried-and-truisms notwithstanding -- you can beat the market while getting a good night's rest.
Find the fund for you
One size, however, does not fit all. With that in mind, our Champion Funds recommendations list and model portfolios offer funds that should appeal to investors of all stripes.
Our funds hail from all over the valuation spectrum. From growth picks to value plays, we've got you covered. We also have ace small-cap funds that favor the likes of Grey Wolf
These stocks' performances have been all over the board of late, and if you're invested in one or two, you've seen a lot of volatility. But put them together in one fund or one portfolio with many other stocks, and you'll get a much smoother upward trajectory.
The Foolish bottom line
Funds can beat the market and help you achieve your investment goals with less volatility. They can also help you expand your investing portfolio without ever leaving your circle of competence.
To wit, in today's brand-new issue, I'm recommending a fund that focuses on smaller-cap stocks culled from foreign markets. If you've long wanted to put international equities to work in your portfolio, but complicated regulations and currency exchange give you the willies, this may be just the fund for you.
The June issue of Champion Funds releases today at 4 p.m. EDT. A free trial gives you access to the entire scope of the newsletter service -- including today's Champ -- for 30 days.
Shannon Zimmerman is the lead analyst for the Fool's Champion Funds newsletter service and doesn't own any of the securities mentioned. Microsoft and Intel are Inside Value recommendations. Netflix is a Stock Advisor recommendation. The Fool has a strict disclosure policy.
