Weekly Wrap: Vanguard's Target-Date Fund Flows, Vaccine Development Updates, and Biden Administration Expectations

Editor's note: Read the latest on how the coronavirus is rattling the markets and what investors can do to navigate it.

Editor's Picks Vanguard's Target-Date Fund Flows Plummet in 2020 Overall, target-date fund annual flows turn negative for the first time. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Herd Immunity to End Pandemic Successful vaccine development and rollout will boost industry goodwill and reduce ESG risk, but we're keeping our valuations steady. An Investor's Guide to the Biden Administration A look at the tools the president can wield and the public policy he might pursue. Indirect Roth IRA Contributions: Backdoor or Trapdoor? The backdoor Roth contribution is a viable tool for some but not all clients. 4 Investment Strategies Now on Our Radar Strong fund managers and processes drive these additions to the Morningstar Prospects list. 7 Stocks for Quality Seekers These names were recently added to the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index.

Portfolio Planning and Personal Finance With Christine Benz How Well Did the Bucket Portfolios Perform in 2020? Cash was certainly a drag, but all of the portfolios notched respectable gains in a strong year for stocks and bonds. How Well Did the Retirement Saver Portfolios Perform in 2020? All portfolios posted strong gains in absolute terms, but a classic 60/40 portfolio was tough to beat. A Financial To-Do List for January Here are some initial steps to take toward improving your financial well-being in 2021.

Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds 2020 Year-End Wrap-Up: U.S. Equity Funds U.S equity markets rebound off first-quarter lows. Are There Better Choices Than Mutual Funds? We look at the pros and cons of the investment vehicles gaining traction. Value vs. Growth: Widest Performance Gap on Record Large-growth funds smashed large-value funds last year. 5 Tips for Trading ETFs It is always a good time to brush up on best practices. Wild Ride for International Equities in 2020 Investors looked past the pandemic's near-term impact. Fund Managers: No Travel? No Problem! Well, Maybe a Few Working at home has gone well, but it's not ideal. What to Expect From Funds After They Gain 100% or More in a Year? Trouble, Mostly Funds that doubled usually lost money in the ensuing years, a worrisome portent for the funds that gained 100% or more in 2020. Funds for 2021 and Beyond These funds look attractive to us today. What an Economic Rebound Could Mean for Corporate Bonds Risks and rewards in the 2021 corporate-bond market.

Stocks Is Natural Gas Heating Going the Way of Buggy Whips? We think not, and the market's misperception results in an attractive share price for NiSource. Capitol Riot Fallout for Social Media? We think the effects are likely to be minimal for the companies we cover. Healthcare Outlook: Coronavirus at Center Stage And some undervalued stocks that capture our attention. What We Expect From Oil Prices How the vaccine affects this sector, and two of our top picks. The Outlook for Dividends Dividend investors had a hard time in 2020, but Morningstar analyst Dan Lefkovitz think the outlook is brighter for the year ahead. Why Dividend-Stock Funds Are Still Worthwhile They won't excel in every down market, but the long-term investment case remains solid. Dividend Picks for 2021 We spot opportunities in consumer staples, utilities, and energy.

Stock Analyst Updates Intel Replaces CEO With Former CTO; Shares Undervalued New CEO Pat Gelsinger has a rich technology background, having served as CEO of VMware since 2012. Cisco Ups Acadia Acquisition Price After updating our model for the increased purchase price, we are maintaining our $48 fair value estimate for Cisco. BlackRock's Q4 Lifts; FVE up to $750 per Share While there was little in wide-moat BlackRock's fourth-quarter earnings to alter our long-term view of the firm, we expect to increase our fair value estimate to around $750 per share from $620 to account for the continued recovery in the equity, credit, and currency markets following the steep COVID-19 induced sell-off in the first quarter of 2020. We Maintain our $43 FVE for Delta Amid Nascent Travel No-moat-rated Delta reported a challenging fourth quarter to end 2020, as the pandemic continues to dramatically reduce air travel demand. Despite the pandemic, we continue to see clear reasons to expect a resounding recovery post-vaccine in both leisure and business travel. We are maintaining our $43 per share fair value estimate for Delta. Rekenthaler Report What to Know: Indexing With a Twist Is the best index-fund flavor plain-vanilla? Have Large-Growth Stocks Peaked? The surge that confounded the experts.

Advisor Insights How to Add Impact Investing to Client Portfolios Through CDFI Loans These loans can steer money to communities and causes that clients care about. The Long View Podcast Steve Chen: 'How Do You Deliver Lifetime Income?' The NewRetirement founder discusses how retirement planning can be simplified, the role of automation, and the challenges facing new retirees. Sustainability Matters Sustainable Equity Funds Outperform Traditional Peers in 2020 A strong year for ESG equity index funds. Commentary Which U.S. Bond Funds Beat Their Benchmarks by the Widest Margin? Our screens reveal a select list of taxable-bond funds that have achieved long-term excess returns. Affirm Soars in Market Debut The share price of the payments company nearly doubles in first day of trading. Which U.S. Equity Funds Beat Their Benchmarks by the Widest Margin? Our screens reveal a select list of equity funds that have achieved long-term excess returns.

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