Dividend All-Stars, Bond-Fund Performance, and Cannabis Stocks

Inspired by Harper's Index (with a tip of the hat to FiveThirtyEight's Significant Digits blog), Morningstar Runs the Numbers uses a numbers-based approach to highlight recent Morningstar research.

3.1% That was the return of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index in the second quarter--its highest quarterly gain in more than seven years. We take a look at how bond funds did during the quarter.

2011 That's the year we introduced the Morningstar Analyst Rating. Jeff Ptak walks through some changes we'll be making to our methodology later this year.

11 That's how many new dividend stocks were added to the Morningstar Dividend Yield Index last month. We take a look at these dividend all-stars.

$169 That's our fair value estimate of Caterpillar CAT, which we think is the best-run company in the heavy-equipment market.

25% That's our estimated compound growth rate for recreational cannabis. We've begun to cover several cannabis companies, some of which are undervalued today.

5 and 7 That's how many funds whose Analyst Ratings were upgraded or downgraded, respectively, in June. We also began rating 28 new strategies last month.

2019 This is the last year that people who are reaching full retirement age (age 66) can use this clever Social Security claiming maneuver.

$0 That's how much Vanguard Tax-Managed Balanced VTMFX has paid out in capital gains since its 1994 start. It's one of our favorite tax-friendly funds.

9% to 12% That's how much Christine Benz's model bucket portfolios for retirees have returned this year. She reviews what worked, what didn't, and any changes that she has made to her portfolios this year.

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