Bond Index Funds
Name
|
Ticker
|
Morningstar Category
|
Medalist Rating
Overall
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Flex US Bond Index | FIBUX | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Ktlhspyn Nzlwxrqzf-Kmcw Dv Tyfnbh | SCZMHJ | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Khdykbmb Lpzgpj Msw Kx Gwb | WJQCGH | Intermediate Government | |
| Bpjvzwsz Tlfv-Lvfq Mvs Qw Bz | LRXXN | Long Government | |
| Pbdgfrzs FWC Vpxd-Fylj Cvxmvkzp Qh Xbr | RYVTP | Long Government | |
| Xmyysxzc KGR BS Vdblvtcd Bq | RHMJBQ | Intermediate Government | |
| Srhkjrfr Dvrcrz Qzrv Qvmb | XLTT | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Ljrlmdkj Tywpcz Kqbzdtdyyf Cm Mqknrr | DGHZ | Intermediate Government | |
| Vmkpmtsk Tzcbxq Qnfp-Hmfs Hyg Xs Wr | KCLFM | Long Government | |
| Bwhnwpqj Wqcfkz Nbdtbmdq Srbx Kxkkt | GHQVB | Ultrashort Bond | |
| Jcddxmtx Qslly-Lmrv Mvvx Fdfpc | MQTWY | Short-Term Bond | |
| Ljdgdywq Sgc 5-8 Pr Cqb-Vkcyn Xp Tkhy | FFBDQ | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Lnltfkxv Nbw 5+ Bs Vwj-Hdlql Zs Fb | MGTZC | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Fdgxkqrk Hccrxfhmctnrns Dppy Jfwn | FQNQ | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Ynvjnxll Q.D. Ttmr Ztq | JWXXH | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Nfvcskjf Lyqw Vhzqv | GSZLZ | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Pzlrnkcr VR Pblnpjgn Dnmvrtz | PZMLK | Intermediate Government | |
| Gqjtth Gmnh Ypxnb | VBWXH | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Mrvfjk Wzwnm Yvrq Bwrk Lfcrr Mbbpzrk | VPKPFZ | Short-Term Bond | |
| Tfdvsl Ptcfd Vhws Ppmq Qkwgl | LVCCT | Short-Term Bond | |
| Pjfxhb Bnhht-Ymbd Tnsn Ngmnc | NVDQWH | Short-Term Bond | |
| Snvrws Xzsggphc Tlrb Clpccrzlv Xghz Rvgxdv | LMTQ | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Jjbcz Bmldlr Mjdvcpzzk Ldvc Jbfmvq | QBBPF | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| Zbhmw Kbzgbv Njnmqxdgc Dpwj Wczlk DRM | HYXP | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| L. Jgcy Plqgn HW Pytqmcvh Qgjkfk Qr | CPWGPM | Intermediate Government | |
| T. Lqhn Dxcxb ZS Tkm ZvxtGbkv Fpdqrv | WXFFQ | Long Government | |
| Jwjpqmzq Zsnnk Bqkc Vxkksz VF Gvl Kshyv | PXXHR | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| QgyrnhMnfx 8-8 Tvpp Hlmmbxfx Lvjprpv H | SLMBJ | Intermediate Government | |
| TppyjbYsnm 7-14 Dc Bfrl Nfwh W/Q | TPKMF | Long Government | |
| KlmcgdLqvn Nzcltpcw Mhmc Npwh Ykby T | FSQSLS | Ultrashort Bond | |
| HqjjcnCybf Wyhs-Wbcm Yhmq Ckcv L/RGHJ | YMSK | Long Government | |
| TmznpzMjpq DVTB Sbbhyds | YGJQG | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| kJjbyjl HM Mvydhqygbzbh Jgljqp Mxcf Tpgy | FBTTL | Intermediate Core Bond | |
| kSchmxr GJ Wwvzzdystnxp Nss Bm Dxtpl | SWXSR | Intermediate Government | |
| sGvltsr LR Sjfd Lqfspfrxdl Dpkq | MZSYZ | Long Government | |
| tDdmyfs PP Rgmxcjxnwmr Ysnl Lwcbl | WFXQP | Intermediate Core Bond |
List Criteria
Taxable Bonds
This broad group encompasses all Morningstar bond fund categories besides municipal bonds. That includes diversified long-term, short-term, and intermediate-term bond funds; government-focused bond funds (including TIPS—Treasury Inflation Protected Securities); funds that invest only in corporate bonds; international-bond funds (including emerging-markets and world bond funds); and more-specialty bond funds, including high-yield and bank loan funds. (Note that funds from some of these categories may not appear in the list depending on the other criteria required.)
Index Funds
Index funds track a particular index, like the S&P 500, and attempt to match its returns by holding the same stocks that are in the index in the same proportion. Index funds are considered “passive” because they only hold what is in the index (or a representative sampling), and only change their portfolios when the index changes. Most indexes reflect or represent an entire market, region, sector, or style, and hence most index funds are intended to offer investors identical exposure to those markets. An index fund’s performance should match the performance of the index minus the expenses associated with running the fund, which are typically low.
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-or even restrict existing fundholders from investing more money-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.