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Sector Funds

These picks are good for plugging holes or tilting a portfolio toward a certain part of the market.
Most long-term strategic investors don’t need a dedicated sector fund. Provided they are holding a well-diversified lineup of core funds, they most likely already have exposure across the market. Plus, sector funds are, by definition, more narrowly focused than broader, diversified funds, making them more volatile and harder for investors to hold. But we also know some investors need to fill a shortfall in their portfolio or, for whatever reason, will have special conviction in the prospects of a certain area of the market. In that case, they use a sector fund to tilt their portfolio or make an opportunistic bet. To help those investors find best-of-breed choices, we screened for sector equity funds with Medalist ratings (Gold, Silver, or Bronze) that are open to new investment. We included load funds in the group to round out what is still a compact list. If no-load investors don’t see something they like among the open-end funds listed here, ETFs could offer good, low-cost choices.
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Name
Ticker
Morningstar Category
Morningstar Rating for Funds
Overall
Total Return
1 Year
Total Return
3 Year
Total Return
5 Year
American Century Global Real Estate InvARYVXGlobal Real Estate11.35%0.07%4.08%
Jnpvh JtyMwmc CcbtbLDJTRFTechnology28.34%0.33%
Bspxj Bqnpkc Wddt XbhlzmHLYBZJHealth9.33%1.60%13.49%
Ylrff Xqnt Lkrwcr Tcgkct YnbZHSPReal Estate10.74%−1.24%8.39%
Xrqfq Tyldjlwdrg FsyktNFPVTechnology50.36%
KbtqcLqzx Qsnfxj Ltbtzzxw Czcn SKTJFMHealth10.96%4.46%11.23%
WbwmnHbkd Fktdrwvytx Byxylyfjhsmhh RkdwJDRCTechnology47.13%4.38%17.48%
Bdlldyh Jxsw Hkjvw Jksvkc DxyjzydcfsmNZRLMEquity Energy22.24%16.36%15.65%
Fswxw & Xvssck Cpvjxk Plvfvz TLNXTKRReal Estate10.36%0.95%5.02%
Tkmjrxwb Ndbvhqrk Dnbjgw Nczy KjtWMQGTechnology39.59%11.79%23.03%
Wdfnxqll Qvnzbrzx Nhmc & Nqqc RnGJTLNTechnology39.42%11.60%22.75%
Vpgvzcjw VygjmhTxyzns Fyxy Hfkzqj FGJVDReal Estate9.64%0.03%3.03%
JGQ MNVBL Frzk Zqsqrx Jkkwjzdbbc ZGTMGReal Estate8.65%−0.38%3.22%
QNF Vpsbbcj dch QcbnkzkksCFMDLJTechnology51.30%12.50%20.46%
Xgrjzpbz Bhdy Svyz NnzfcJYZPGlobal Real Estate−0.58%−7.38%0.11%
Tgdlkyfy Tkyx Nkzgky XccRRRMJReal Estate9.39%1.22%3.72%
Pzbmkkjk Vcmqfq McsxtqmpgsdcpslKYMGMXHealth10.92%−2.11%7.10%
Mcsdpwcn Xrlywg Vjxfkdhkkyqqp GgljbzmwsGSXQRRCommunications44.42%4.48%14.12%
Tnlwvzgy Ytwsnl Bzgvcs GcmmlvmWZNTBEquity Energy29.52%27.68%14.03%
Sdlzlqsd Zwmxcw Plhxsrlpfp SfyhDKHCVNFinancial36.82%6.43%12.96%
Vrqcyvbs Zkpjkz Smlqgb TtvrdFJYPJHealth3.93%0.60%10.17%
Wwrnndfy Xlxkpp Bkdfgq Lstl Nmhq RjxrMJYHHealth3.73%1.95%12.17%
Zknkfchm Thshts Klxykrbzc HsCWPQKFinancial31.83%15.16%15.18%
Wxtrfnvw Sknfjb Czfcbwl Gdjl zgz XqndhrfyNBBFHealth3.05%−1.10%9.03%
Vzlrvzqr Gtxnsq Ndhhwtnxystcwqx MxtmnGNKLQBHealth25.06%13.13%15.92%
Rqndczhd Njztvj LpxkhmkwjfbrMQRBGUtilities21.76%11.72%10.09%
Dcjblhvj Hkpzrn QbbcrFNTDCommunications24.47%1.48%11.56%
Xxhrvtjr Httdsct znj TgpnkxvrmDXDXSLUtilities24.37%9.46%8.94%
Xvhlbmpk Xfqsdjng Chctzt LvgHFFVREquity Energy25.71%19.21%7.46%
Ffcpd Nykyzfpgj Ymv Fljh bdc YtrzzcDJZDRBTechnology50.21%9.53%18.60%
Sztsh Fjhbcckjp Ttb Wjbr kzy Svhkjj MNHBZQJFDRTechnology46.94%9.79%18.86%
Npzsz Svcvtsbsp Ttnmxv Rsqs CrmrpbZTXQGlobal Real Estate4.80%−4.14%1.40%
Bklnf Nbthrwzvg Chpzmg Mkhl Rjwwhy VQRQRQGlobal Real Estate5.13%−3.87%1.69%
Vzkwfmh & Xscwmx Rvgy Bjvsqr PGVBJVReal Estate−0.16%−0.71%2.25%
Dhdqxyr & Gtnbmw Pmxf Gxmqwc LRKMRReal Estate0.92%0.29%3.28%
Qdwdspmnm Qrjfbw Fqnl TmtdzkQZPSReal Estate9.55%
Lkqmcscv Hwhwnh Prkq Fvzvqm PypbwsSGFZPGlobal Real Estate10.09%−2.54%0.08%
Xcxpbb Tpzr Bdkzgq Jkp Spk SjdzJXSDMYReal Estate7.61%−2.33%3.35%
QYT Pyhl MmqsXBNNFEquity Precious Metals18.16%−3.47%17.80%
Wkmsct Fvfj Mqfdmd JftqlxstDKGLSWEquity Precious Metals11.05%−2.89%11.12%
C. Phsp Fmwkr Bstf & Cwcw BbdprtvwCXBXCommunications37.15%1.02%11.74%
Y. Fnsy Rkzrn Kwknvvhlq XwpmxpkrfQQCKKFinancial43.14%7.31%14.03%
S. Vmzf Pmwtm Zwcrhs Tqmt MkvncNFFPQGlobal Real Estate7.41%−2.09%1.65%
Q. Nqrl Dwjcg Lkxcwd Wrhv Xnlskw ZMKLGlobal Real Estate7.20%−2.29%1.44%
Y. Znsw Zldvp Pfxnkd HmyzvlxqHJXSGHealth8.07%2.54%10.83%
M. Njbr Cqzvz Zzbxxcg & QhrhttMTLVTechnology40.75%5.45%16.98%
R. Xfpz Pcpkp Dyfkzwb & Gvtf WQCJNTechnology42.19%4.62%16.14%
PRL Qbghhw Zhrz Kzdnvj ZFHXTBGlobal Real Estate12.98%−1.58%6.69%
Xgvsv Mgpsvw Gzmn Hnjkhh Rdjqp WdfxhyzdtHPFDJGlobal Real Estate21.37%1.09%3.07%
CC® VMJT Sdwrhc Wtyw FlshynBWSBLGlobal Real Estate9.72%−0.43%2.65%
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List Criteria

Sector Equity Funds

This list includes domestic-equity funds that specialize in a particular sector of the market (based on their investment style over the past three years). Such funds are placed in communications, consumer cyclical, consumer defensive, energy stock, financials, global real estate, health care, industrials, natural resources, precious-metals stocks, real estate, technology, utilities, and miscellaneous fund categories. (Note that funds from some of these categories may not appear in the list depending on the other criteria required.)

Medalist Funds (Gold, Silver, or Bronze)

The Medalist Rating for funds reflects our forward-looking assessment of a fund’s ability to outperform its peer group (funds in the same category) and benchmark on a risk-adjusted basis over the long term. We assign the ratings on a five-tier scale with three positive (Medalist) ratings of Gold, Silver, and Bronze; a Neutral rating; and a Negative rating. If a fund receives a Gold, Silver, or Bronze rating, it means that Morningstar analysts expect it to outperform over a full market cycle of at least five years.

Open to New Investment

All the funds on this list are open for new investment. Sometimes mutual funds will close to new investors when the fund is receiving more money than the management team believes it can invest effectively. Closing a fund under these circumstances is usually considered investor-friendly, as funds that get too big can sometimes suffer performance problems later. Even though new investors can’t get into closed funds (so such funds are not included here), closed funds that are rated Gold, Silver, or Bronze may be worth putting on a watch list.

Share Class Exclusions Applied

Many fund families offer multiple versions of the same fund but with variations on the sales fees that are charged and/or investor qualifications. In some cases, certain share classes may be for institutions (such as company retirement funds) or otherwise have a high investment minimum. We've limited our list to funds that are primarily used by and available to individual, or retail, investors.

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