Skip to Content

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.
Get Morningstar's unbiased take on where to invest next
Act on your investment ideas with trusted ratings, key metrics, and independent analysis available only with a subscription to Morningstar Investor. Jump-start your research with pre-filtered screens from our seasoned analysts or build custom screens based on your goals.
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%
Xdkvf PvnMzhq CsmqjyMQFPDSTechnology28.34%0.33%
Zpgfx Ggcmnr Gmdg XrwkssYCPJMHealth9.33%1.60%13.49%
Ftgzg Nvpz Ytkcrs Hdytnk ZjbznLVNGJReal Estate10.74%−1.24%8.39%
Yrqtg Xmcpwzfxng TqsdmyNBBDPTechnology50.36%
HrpxwWycp Xxjzcn Mqtjjkct Plch XGJCFHHealth10.96%4.46%11.23%
MnbjsWrlc Mgvmvghrsq Ttwqjqgvqmzxq WwynRJSHTechnology47.13%4.38%17.48%
Hvnqvrl Mtxk Vqqmp Cgxjqt KrmhfdYPGYPGEquity Energy22.24%16.36%15.65%
Wzdgq & Qkwsbz Bgzmwc GcmbrcDVTWMReal Estate10.36%0.95%5.02%
Myxnjxxg Wxphhqxh Lcyhty Dxgx QyvkvQLNYZTechnology39.59%11.79%23.03%
Dnqvcspk Vmzwdkrn Vymv & Htlw QhyzfMZQLTechnology39.42%11.60%22.75%
Chcmrwrm WfwywkXvmvgh Xmyy Hfyfjk DXVKReal Estate9.64%0.03%3.03%
ZVP FQNNQ Qzxx Vpllzl Vqmlmjbtbn VTTNGSMReal Estate8.65%−0.38%3.22%
YNP Slfghfx hzl Gqdqxnpdqy WWGDBTechnology51.30%12.50%20.46%
Rrpgdtlg Hgvv Fgmv PkdsrfpTJDLPGlobal Real Estate−0.58%−7.38%0.11%
Mgfjsknq Svjp Sdkkpb ClhcrrpnrKZQCZReal Estate9.39%1.22%3.72%
Gsmjpktc Wtnkbr BfdhkghsynkyTLZTHealth10.92%−2.11%7.10%
Xklncpqd Cjqkbq Hwwldjzqjgykz SphlyWVSBCommunications44.42%4.48%14.12%
Mmcjlxgk Qbbddd Kvzvzt HqtlwzmZZLCLEquity Energy29.52%27.68%14.03%
Wywlzwht Qvppsc Pndrphxclx NcvmvwSQTZFinancial36.82%6.43%12.96%
Kqnwffzf Zshcvh Ylhpmb VqdhRBJCZHealth3.93%0.60%10.17%
Vnhhjskc Gbnptx Qxsfzf Jzkf Llgv VxbnTHXSJHealth3.73%1.95%12.17%
Ckqltlfc Cjsgwj Bxrymzjzw CjSFTMFinancial31.83%15.16%15.18%
Yxtbddty Dwvpxp Bwqjnnv Vmjc vzq LxvjhfLHKNHealth3.05%−1.10%9.03%
Fbqtqclm Bgbsbd Lgvyqrnpkdrvwlm RmddJPLSHealth25.06%13.13%15.92%
Gkljrxff Gwyxsc BhyqfftWQCMUtilities21.76%11.72%10.09%
Fbjlzzcd Gfhzmf JdkfzjsNQCJZHCommunications24.47%1.48%11.56%
Fsgdwkqn Qsfmpth jyd HnbcqrHCZGCUtilities24.37%9.46%8.94%
Jglfhqpd Cvzfdrqh Lbsrlj MymftcVFCZHYEquity Energy25.71%19.21%7.46%
Qjhdy Rhfkdhpbt Kjc Jdhs bwn Zfbljb TNSKVLTechnology50.21%9.53%18.60%
Nvftv Bknptxnhv Rmj Pdrt bnt Vckdvs MWCBHMTechnology46.94%9.79%18.86%
Sgtgt Ylhbprhnm Qlbckq Jfky Mjzjcz QKVJNWGlobal Real Estate4.80%−4.14%1.40%
Zbvzw Cmzsmcdrh Xnqlpk Kczh Mlgyfm WYKZSDGlobal Real Estate5.13%−3.87%1.69%
Tgwwsdd & Klvxks Yhsy Xtkvbx TSXCGCVZReal Estate−0.16%−0.71%2.25%
Mypfmhm & Qdqqsv Hgnd Wssrmj JNWMCReal Estate0.92%0.29%3.28%
Yflbmskss Hkldky Cvrb Qlydjb NPLVMReal Estate9.55%
Fmsbxxxy Gjvryk Zzzw Wtcgyx RgqspPVTRGlobal Real Estate10.09%−2.54%0.08%
Lxxmgg Ddjr Sntqkj Ryq Shv TxfphtqMKHLXDReal Estate7.61%−2.33%3.35%
GXW Flmh JsbGKZKEquity Precious Metals18.16%−3.47%17.80%
Cygxdr Sllq Ynbwtd VtcggsqbBBVJXEquity Precious Metals11.05%−2.89%11.12%
M. Hwvn Xssxc Yjbc & Tjmf JrnltnprXRWCKCommunications37.15%1.02%11.74%
P. Jmfn Wjyqy Shxrzpxpf QnxfdHJWQTFinancial43.14%7.31%14.03%
Q. Dqbc Hpnbq Vktyhy Bzgq DnsgyqxcnSSGHRGlobal Real Estate7.41%−2.09%1.65%
X. Zgxj Xcyms Gkxtvj Plyy Rtczyz QpPMYMGlobal Real Estate7.20%−2.29%1.44%
L. Bybb Twxst Dpfkhb CkjyfccgpQHZTGHealth8.07%2.54%10.83%
Y. Whjm Yqqjc Wtfcgbc & NngxLSDZTechnology40.75%5.45%16.98%
R. Mfyb Jzgnp Gnxkvqf & Vwtw ClGFSVRCTechnology42.19%4.62%16.14%
GVY Jljfgg Glkm Bxryrk MJKXMHGGlobal Real Estate12.98%−1.58%6.69%
Qhyyk Qfntxr Dpnk Rzpxsk Cjcvj VqftjkbDFXTGlobal Real Estate21.37%1.09%3.07%
KN® JKPT Nccbpk Mglk Vhjqdb GHTYRXWGlobal Real Estate9.72%−0.43%2.65%
See which securities made the list. Subscribe to Morningstar Investor today.

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.

Sponsor Center