Kenneth Oshodi

Overall positive qualities counter concerns over looming manager departure.

December was a busy month for Morningstar manager research analysts with refreshed or new ratings on 163 strategies.

Bronze-rated Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income has an experienced team, an effective process, and affordable expenses.

T. Rowe Price Institutional Floating Rate's robust team, effective process, great returns, and affordable expenses put it on our radar.

Silver-rated PIMCO High Yield Spectrum is led by a veteran team running an effective process.

Bronze-rated T. Rowe Price Spectrum Income features an experienced team, strong underlying funds, and cheap fees.

Opportunities and challenges remain for bond investors.

These funds take different paths, but still land within the wide constraints of the category.

There were several notable upgrades and downgrades this past month.

Silver-rated Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston uses a macro overlay to dampen portfolio volatility as part of its effective process.

Bronze-rated BlackRock High Yield Municipal brings a stout team, effective process, strong long-term performance, and inexpensive fees to the table.

Analysts updated several funds that you may already know and brought some new names into the mix.

Lord Abbett Floating Rate and Eaton Vance Floating Rate are both great medalist funds, but team tenure and process distinguish them.

Thompson Bond's strong performance, experienced team, patient process, and strong results make it one to watch.

Andrew Susser became lead manager of Bronze-rated MainStay High Yield Corporate Bond in 2014 and joins an experienced team.

Bronze-rated Eaton Vance Floating-Rate and High Income has an impressive management team and long-term record, but high fees temper our enthusiasm.

High fees may hamper Eaton Vance Floating-Rate & High Income, but we see positives with the team, process, and performance.

Passive managers on the insulation of fixed-income from the index investing sea change.

See what's new and what changed in February.

Lord Abbett Income is on our radar due to a long-tenured team, effective process, and positive performance.

Bronze-rated MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond features a seasoned team, strong long-term record, and an effective process.