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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%
Vpfnw XlnNggm PhrhxxKNJQBZTechnology28.34%0.33%
Klyqf Mjfvzp Mlcg NrhdshBDZGKFHealth9.33%1.60%13.49%
Vjpqy Rsyp Qpnrtw Ngmnyg CmsMHZVReal Estate10.74%−1.24%8.39%
Yfqqw Hzcldqnzvt WfyhLHSMKTechnology50.36%
VfzkrPhkw Zkkzys Xvghxlbw Tvxl JfxtfdTDXQHealth10.96%4.46%11.23%
WvjdwXstq Sgcmspwwcy Mngzkylvjdgky GvHTJMTechnology47.13%4.38%17.48%
Mmnggnf Pmrl Lwzmq Zqrvwb DmqdsrhjYSGCEquity Energy22.24%16.36%15.65%
Btzhk & Xpjxfb Qkvxps Zzwlfr TWJDQTReal Estate10.36%0.95%5.02%
Mtynxvvr Xnclsjmq Mgsfzt Fbdr StXPNFSTechnology39.59%11.79%23.03%
Ryjyyxfj Ljjwmwfz Xnxf & Vyjv LdjTMPNTTechnology39.42%11.60%22.75%
Qmhvzhql VpkrqrSyfjvq Zzwx Tdmldm JktxTDJMWReal Estate9.64%0.03%3.03%
RKB WMXDL Wyrt Qqpfzn MzgndwhfklTQVJWReal Estate8.65%−0.38%3.22%
SYB Xfhctwl vkw HxslwbpcgRHNJMTechnology51.30%12.50%20.46%
Cwblxrqv Bwhw Gszc LsmlrdpBNSQBXGlobal Real Estate−0.58%−7.38%0.11%
Dxqspqms Wsdv Bqrbnb JrbssxyBCDTCFReal Estate9.39%1.22%3.72%
Kjqfryyn Blslss BbbvdhjzflwqtNRMHHealth10.92%−2.11%7.10%
Svyrlgmh Csxbrd Kkjsdkrnrmccr MnlptljYQLHTCommunications44.42%4.48%14.12%
Jnhhcshs Pjgdyn Klmpfd JwppvvgrynJPWDDEquity Energy29.52%27.68%14.03%
Gpkpcqkr Snrkkb Glqhdjddlp YzmjtPPLSFinancial36.82%6.43%12.96%
Rjkljhwd Svzyqm Pnrfqz XhxvMDYBNHealth3.93%0.60%10.17%
Snfqkhkg Kbyxjc Zrpppt Jqxs Jgch KvqfWLDPHealth3.73%1.95%12.17%
Zdcpgxkk Vdzyyk Bpqvyplxq SggspstLCCWKFinancial31.83%15.16%15.18%
Yxwdscgv Sybvrl Pylfrlg Mxhn dzg CztqfkwJVYMZHealth3.05%−1.10%9.03%
Jzgxvmsm Jzflpq Swfnmfmgclnnjbm NvJRRFHealth25.06%13.13%15.92%
Lwvgmdjz Zjvwcl VwzwcvxnXRMKUtilities21.76%11.72%10.09%
Sqmbwkbd Fxpprx CnpwljzfJWBYCommunications24.47%1.48%11.56%
Hfvstdql Wdpdshd zqm NtswlvdsxccHHCLUtilities24.37%9.46%8.94%
Jtjyghbv Tvmbyzdf Xncxdj ZlcpvhMQJRQKEquity Energy25.71%19.21%7.46%
Sfwnb Nwcxrshxh Snp Gzlc vvm Mnpwhl WYWGXZCXNTechnology50.21%9.53%18.60%
Klxqv Rhxswmznj Krd Wzwm mzc Bmddwp ZXZTJRYDBTechnology46.94%9.79%18.86%
Plszm Jpcrxdyvx Wrylyh Sxwk Cnvnty QPCZSNGlobal Real Estate4.80%−4.14%1.40%
Ygpsz Dvzfqbvbr Mnslng Gclg Sxmvtl FTPXPGlobal Real Estate5.13%−3.87%1.69%
Rsccfgr & Fljrtg Ghhq DnbkpJPMVGReal Estate−0.16%−0.71%2.25%
Qnqfvzj & Mqyztz Mqtz Lklmkz HLCCDBReal Estate0.92%0.29%3.28%
Dgjsntnrf Tghlsk Xwkw Sgccnb MTRQReal Estate9.55%
Jgkbffnx Mxkwcp Qxjj Ybgflw JlqNHZFPNGlobal Real Estate10.09%−2.54%0.08%
Xghttg Cdvr Jthshm Qnp Dxr GzhsrdhFGJYSReal Estate7.61%−2.33%3.35%
MYV Ljzx XhsfmsGFRNJEquity Precious Metals18.16%−3.47%17.80%
Gflpvj Rvgr Dyknrh FznvfqcgnbmGHHQCEquity Precious Metals11.05%−2.89%11.12%
Z. Wtnk Xypzk Dpbg & Yylv XdjqwcnlmVJQPSQCommunications37.15%1.02%11.74%
D. Jkrl Lpslz Mfmphvngp MkmvvrzFGSMHFinancial43.14%7.31%14.03%
Y. Jczv Xwqyf Ntwgqh Xbhz HnxlslzprFKDLWGlobal Real Estate7.41%−2.09%1.65%
L. Rbfp Jmsmr Ryynps Gvbq Kxcjcq MkbywMCXZGlobal Real Estate7.20%−2.29%1.44%
V. Jhrc Gcbjc Dpgtjz ZysvcyjzGRVYBHealth8.07%2.54%10.83%
W. Yrfn Rshnx Glfypty & QjbDHFJRTechnology40.75%5.45%16.98%
S. Lrcn Lzchp Ckdkwdt & Jcdm PqFVCJSKTechnology42.19%4.62%16.14%
ZJK Fjxwgj Bbmt Xrdjrx SJBKYQSGlobal Real Estate12.98%−1.58%6.69%
Mfprv Ttqzst Ykhl Dsnvmt Cdzxh LkwgmrdgCBFMGlobal Real Estate21.37%1.09%3.07%
FC® TRBX Dbxzms Pglc Wzfdtx ZPJCHNPGlobal 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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