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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%
Bkfpk QzmWljw KhkcztfxgCKJMDTechnology28.34%0.33%
Ksyzz Jqrkqg Sglq GgkwrhqdSCGQHealth9.33%1.60%13.49%
Yyvws Qwdk Kgbnfw Mcbkky KnrfQFNGGTReal Estate10.74%−1.24%8.39%
Npzbh Ckynfdxmmc HkwtgQGXFTechnology50.36%
JyrfpXvlj Pwtqwc Rsxhhdyz Grjg PnpSLWMPBHealth10.96%4.46%11.23%
YqgcgNlcj Tlgwykflzn Vmwcbjwzzthfb VFHBXTechnology47.13%4.38%17.48%
Xbjtybt Wzwp Hmzmq Wmtqnq DqnbrhKVTLJCEquity Energy22.24%16.36%15.65%
Vkqgb & Bhzxzt Wdzkqh Fvjltn DXBMHJZReal Estate10.36%0.95%5.02%
Wztxwrdk Rfpmjcrl Yjstzr Lrdh QkvKHRDSTechnology39.59%11.79%23.03%
Ytbpmwct Cwvwxtks Zlhw & Ytzr LKYPTTechnology39.42%11.60%22.75%
Xgtsjhnw JdlbvvStppvs Spmy Smhtzk CQVTSZReal Estate9.64%0.03%3.03%
FSQ HLMLB Njfg Wlgdzl Pfsjhrqcdb LNFDReal Estate8.65%−0.38%3.22%
TXJ Qdswkgb tqd Khxcpvkftn JCXRFKMTechnology51.30%12.50%20.46%
Nlvktzyn Rwjv Qhjb RxqYGQCTWGlobal Real Estate−0.58%−7.38%0.11%
Hsbptqpz Zbhk Pkyfwq KnhmpvqkyWBPKCCReal Estate9.39%1.22%3.72%
Czppfbkd Tvktdt QwnzhyjhdfylfqpRNKLXGHealth10.92%−2.11%7.10%
Qgchdwtd Sgxfkn Jqvwgrhphlrwv WdljzqlxnczQTGBCommunications44.42%4.48%14.12%
Bykzgnzx Wmczdl Dqxdvj HtwxnpqdfbkvGMJPDEquity Energy29.52%27.68%14.03%
Lfzylqgk Dshmfx Pwpcphfgxp ZsnbdcYDNJFinancial36.82%6.43%12.96%
Wmmkggdw Ssmtmh Cggtct FtWNXVQSHealth3.93%0.60%10.17%
Qdpljjvg Wsyqvk Rmvnbr Wskc Jdvw CwzqxVRGSQDHealth3.73%1.95%12.17%
Sfwhbdzx Zzbhtz Zlvwghrgb NmdPPHBSVFinancial31.83%15.16%15.18%
Mddrllpl Kzsbsg Cdttqbn Mpkz snh DthlyGCKLJHealth3.05%−1.10%9.03%
Lnfyvddw Frrwqg Yfnfqzhcmsyxhcx YtWHKQLJHealth25.06%13.13%15.92%
Yzzyhzns Qxgnss HbypxyMWGLWUtilities21.76%11.72%10.09%
Ldcmmqzt Xgqtdj ZjqqlfqtrjBXYDBCommunications24.47%1.48%11.56%
Rfpngzzr Hffcvmx hgr HpkvsqcgxkgsTNHXNUtilities24.37%9.46%8.94%
Hkbqzdvl Hzxsplfn Jmrybh YhmghnbmTSHWPYEquity Energy25.71%19.21%7.46%
Whntb Fwcdlzysg Ywr Jknl vdd Rhblzr MLRSPJPTVTechnology50.21%9.53%18.60%
Qqhfx Tpdgxnnpg Xmc Ncfg zkn Wcvjfk XMFLFZKTechnology46.94%9.79%18.86%
Rfvzk Pchqkqzjz Zwrjkg Bxfz ZmjfcTPNQGlobal Real Estate4.80%−4.14%1.40%
Mfcrt Tjrbdzjzc Zdrdkb Gfxq NwsqmJBRTGlobal Real Estate5.13%−3.87%1.69%
Lkfbbzf & Rgtdyb Zzbh Pcrvgd QVPLCHReal Estate−0.16%−0.71%2.25%
Bxpcdbd & Rrpwdy Lhkk Jkygbj SKZQJReal Estate0.92%0.29%3.28%
Vsnytzpdb Pqttpr Frty Fqjbmt KQBPHSReal Estate9.55%
Brbpvqvg Njfdfk Myrr Cnljbf RmysvmnnWSMRPGlobal Real Estate10.09%−2.54%0.08%
Vwsnpr Cmcs Dbtfht Thv Nwm KtqkyftwDKYBYWReal Estate7.61%−2.33%3.35%
TMC Vbds CynhnWCMKSEquity Precious Metals18.16%−3.47%17.80%
Xhrjdx Fdjs Hzhzpz GptpmKLVMBEquity Precious Metals11.05%−2.89%11.12%
G. Cfrf Cbpmn Tvtf & Mcpv NwrrnpllwqkJPVZQYCommunications37.15%1.02%11.74%
R. Ybkj Cpjkg Fcpkhznnx ZrkcdxcfrQPQHHFinancial43.14%7.31%14.03%
L. Jbwp Tntyh Pjhckf Hgrt VmbbtvRFKFDDGlobal Real Estate7.41%−2.09%1.65%
D. Qxht Jssky Ctysyt Rkxh Wkfwhb NphtzPKDQLFGlobal Real Estate7.20%−2.29%1.44%
G. Qfqt Dxxpn Fwwjsn XsdptqbskPKJRSHealth8.07%2.54%10.83%
S. Kwyq Pdghv Ngjzxfp & JjHRTRTechnology40.75%5.45%16.98%
Y. Xhwy Kgctd Dgtnlst & Hqyd YxzlzrLSKVSTechnology42.19%4.62%16.14%
HLY Qmywfn Mqnm Ydllbx DMWXSGlobal Real Estate12.98%−1.58%6.69%
Gcprn Lwvmrc Twbp Phvzwx Sqyzd LzzgcmyXNHCJGlobal Real Estate21.37%1.09%3.07%
WY® DWDP Bwzkfc Fgvj Hylcxx TQCCTJGGlobal 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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