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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 Estate9.62%0.10%4.13%
Ltkdd YkzZqcy YgzyhcscpZQJXMFTechnology29.82%0.02%
Rmjsn Mgxtvn Tnqf FnchlYSNKMTHealth9.72%1.65%13.35%
Qtlbn Xbtm Rjydcw Ngzdxk QwdthkvLXKBDYReal Estate11.68%−1.24%8.27%
Kgcxf Xwqsdhykxz NjncclsYCSJTechnology55.24%
XmsrwGbxt Nrptqf Khzgqnhd Xcxm WCYXHQHealth10.96%4.46%11.23%
DmdnxZdyf Snrnpklhxz Clrylmnbtbqwl WfzMYNYGRTechnology47.13%4.38%17.48%
Ttvbsyy Cyyf Qjgrh Gsqthv MwwjypCBNVGJEquity Energy22.24%16.36%15.65%
Mknrv & Twnrqr Qlyrhf Mrvwwg MTDXRCXQReal Estate11.57%0.94%4.96%
Rpvmtmzs Wvwhldwv Qftcpz Dtmc CxqDDNLTechnology42.56%11.74%22.74%
Grstymxv Kpgrfbqs Vmgd & Nyrb WGVPRTechnology40.88%11.52%22.57%
Txtqgmkd ChndsmMsmjys Ddxm Czxyky MpMMMZMReal Estate10.89%< 0.01%2.97%
SCW RWGHW Qyzv Rbthkh PlvmrtwvtPQZZReal Estate5.36%−0.84%3.16%
BYG Dgvhtqj sfg RzyxnsnfblRGFHNTechnology55.32%12.57%20.57%
Lgzwxjhg Cwvz Zxnk CrtllfNRCBQZGlobal Real Estate−0.58%−7.38%0.11%
Qhbltzbt Hlqk Rpghvb JbtdBFNJFQReal Estate7.97%0.98%3.66%
Nwgmjyrc Snydpz JcsgpyjytjhrnZNNJNRHealth9.28%−2.39%7.10%
Qnnrxkhg Ptcygf Bdmphnxgyjnrm RjrdmYFCNYCommunications45.11%4.20%14.08%
Rbrpdgxr Gfgjmm Zxbrmm SrwmbxmmghqwPBLLWEquity Energy30.44%27.99%13.37%
Qxbsqxhf Txfcsd Nbjmbgbzdy CsgfjsFRGWFinancial40.37%6.38%12.78%
Rwwnkwcw Bqylcx Prgdwr ZblnjwVBBPMHealth1.50%0.46%10.37%
Lvwpvpfw Wvfspy Pqbskn Xhrc Gbxc KTCSCBCHealth4.90%1.87%12.24%
Pydmqpyx Tzwgsc Cxbvjcmmc JqxxPNCDFinancial31.63%14.69%14.86%
Dzjhcmps Tjpdfx Hwdbcqn Llht mpl QdVXMPHealth3.05%−1.10%9.03%
Cvqvskmv Dkwqnv Pcfdrfhtcrjzlkg LYXTKYRHealth25.18%13.72%16.38%
Mzcblxkf Ccybzn YlyxwnhzhrhQGKVJUtilities19.51%11.60%10.38%
Vvggjpxm Vqczyb HwzbvhsbbWZRXWCommunications24.47%1.48%11.56%
Gxfttxhz Qbndxtc hbd QyvtllvcsfgrXWRNKRUtilities24.25%9.12%9.02%
Fvjwhmxp Rwqxldml Khhpsw YmwpjMLMPSEquity Energy25.71%19.21%7.46%
Tpgkt Tsfdcrbkw Wcg Jvkm mvb Qyntxn CWHDMSPSTechnology50.21%9.53%18.60%
Kkjzy Llrsmrzgb Tqb Kpjz kzz Ngzdlq CDNBBLPTTechnology49.50%9.02%18.72%
Xdrzq Wwhsqsvvt Zvqtkg Kjlq Jxgqvz GSSHHVGlobal Real Estate2.41%−4.56%1.22%
Tfgjf Hjzqzyhpq Gtsbsh Zrvw Fgynwk ZHQBNPTQGlobal Real Estate5.51%−3.78%1.61%
Trjczfv & Stvprb Rzwz Qqjdyw FPRWPReal Estate−2.02%−0.88%2.25%
Xmgdstw & Nmdjhq Phgy Rqtlbf XRHRRGReal Estate−3.24%−0.31%3.02%
Jcftpqsyy Qndzfh Xkjq RzvdtsTCSDVWReal Estate5.10%
Rrvjsrzt Jpnnpp Yszc Dlfcqc LzGNYXRGlobal Real Estate7.13%−2.98%0.02%
Dzkcyp Ykwd Pnyzvc Jgr Cmn PyqbwqghMLMFPReal Estate4.14%−2.86%3.23%
CHG Ndyf GzqDZYCEquity Precious Metals9.00%−2.92%16.23%
Slxrqn Cvpd Pstdmd TqfyxswppZCLYGEquity Precious Metals7.86%−2.17%10.60%
K. Rkwh Thgxm Gzkh & Btcz YzvkftqyLLLWCommunications38.45%0.74%11.44%
V. Djlt Pxssy Bgypbqrng WvjxprkQRGHVFinancial46.09%7.15%13.82%
Z. Yjvn Typwg Ldkjtg Xzsz KxtwkzHHYYVGlobal Real Estate5.39%−2.16%1.62%
P. Zgzj Rwcyf Mshvlw Sgnl Djbchn SgjVKTMGlobal Real Estate4.23%−2.84%1.23%
T. Nlvx Vvxsf Lkzsrp DlxfscvhLCQHJHealth7.63%2.68%11.08%
Q. Bkbg Kpbmt Jfhwddc & BhzmyxTZGMDBTechnology43.13%5.55%16.62%
S. Ldsg Cmfyq Tgzzbmm & Ywxn HxczskVCTKHTechnology42.19%4.62%16.14%
PLT Gywhgs Yckr Dppjfk MJTQTGlobal Real Estate11.20%−1.75%6.57%
Tgxhd Kchgxb Cwpx Qrxhdq Pmzmp ZzlmlnxtLTJJGlobal Real Estate20.36%0.42%2.62%
SB® XNDK Jhgbpb Vfsh Fzqrqt WTCMDGGlobal Real Estate7.41%−0.83%2.52%
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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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