Tag Archives: etfs

4 Top-Ranked Mid-Cap Growth Mutual Funds

Mid-cap funds are ideal investment options for investors looking for high return potential that comes with lower risk than small-cap funds. Mid-cap funds are not very susceptible to volatility in broader markets, making it an ideal bet given that the macroeconomic conditions have generally offered a roller-coaster ride in recent years. Meanwhile, when capital appreciation over the long term takes precedence over dividend payouts, growth funds become a natural choice for investors. These funds focus on realizing an appreciable amount of capital growth by investing in stocks of firms whose value is projected to rise over the long term. However, a relatively higher tolerance to risk and the willingness to park funds for the longer term are necessary when investing in these securities. This is because they may experience relatively more fluctuations than other fund classes. Below we share with you 4 top-rated, mid-cap growth mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and we expect the fund to outperform its peers in the future. T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth (MUTF: RPMGX ) maintains a diversified portfolio by investing a large chunk of its assets in companies having market capitalizations similar to those listed in the S&P MidCap 400 Index or the Russell Midcap Growth Index. RPMGX invests in companies having above-average growth potential. Though RPMGX focuses on acquiring common stocks of domestic companies, RPMGX may also invest in companies located outside the U.S. The T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth fund has a three-year annualized return of 17.8%. Brian W.H. Berghuis is the fund manager of RPMGX since 1992. Principal MidCap A (MUTF: PEMGX ) seeks capital appreciation over the long run. PEMGX invests a lion’s share of its assets in equity securities of companies with medium size market capitalizations. Though PEMGX invests in both value and growth stocks of companies, PEMGX currently emphasizes on growth stocks. The Principal MidCap A fund has a three-year annualized return of 14.4%. As of November 2015, PEMGX held 94 issues with 4.46% of its assets invested in Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A. DF Dent Midcap Growth (MUTF: DFDMX ) invests majority of its assets in equity securities including common and preferred stocks of mid-cap firms. DFDMX primarily focuses on acquiring securities of companies listed in the U.S. market. DFDMX may also invest in ADRs, ETFs and REITs. The Principal MidCap A is a non-diversified fund and has a three-year annualized return of 13.5%. DFDMX has an expense ratio of 1.10% as compared to the category average of 1.28%. Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Investor (MUTF: VMGRX ) seeks long-term capital growth. VMGRX invests a major portion of its assets in the securities of mid-cap companies. VMGRX primarily emphasizes acquiring common stocks of companies having above-average growth potential. The Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Investor fund has a three-year annualized return of 14%. As of September 2015, VMGRX held 100 issues with 2.83% of its assets invested in Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL ). Original Post

Exited Gencor For 57.33% Return

On December 2, 2015, we exited our position in Gencor ( GENC ) for a total return of 57.33%. This position was first established on October 5, 2011. We held this stock for 4 years to wait for the catalyst of increased funding for Federal highway projects (transportation bill), which finally seems to be taking shape. Our average cost was $7.1/share and selling price was $11.25/share. Today, the company sports a $116 million market capitalization, carries no debt and has $96 million in cash. If you buy the stock today, you are looking at $20 million to buy the whole business (net of cash), with a great prospect of increased revenues and profits, as the Federal dollars start flowing in the infrastructure projects (which are sorely needed in the U.S.). Whether this is worthwhile investment now or not is your decision; for us, we felt that the capital can be reused elsewhere in this environment. A value trap is a value trap, until it isn’t. It took us close to 4 years to get a 57% return. Was it worth it? Maybe not. I remember when we first invested in Gencor, the large amount of cash on the balance sheet was very attractive to me, and so it was for many other value investors. Over time though, many of these investors have quit the investment. It has been a frustrating experience, for sure, to watch the management do almost nothing with the cash – neither invest in new projects, nor return it back to the shareholders. I suspect a calculation of significant increase in working capital requirements, when the highway funding finally comes through, played a big role in the management’s decision to hold on to cash. Looking at the opportunity cost of this wait, it was probably not worth it. However, one cannot fault the management of being more optimistic of the U.S. Congress’ ability to pass genuinely needed infrastructure funding. If I were running the company, I would have done the same, and then roundly vilified in the investment community. This is where the interests of the investors and the managers diverge a little, which is unfortunate, as we investors need to consider the long-term strategy for the business as the primary driver of the management actions. Why would the management not return the cash to the shareholders and then when needed raise the funds in the debt markets, is a question I cannot answer. Coming back to the Value Trap question – For the first 3 years of the holding, it indeed looked like one. This year the stock has risen 35%, so for a value investor who decided to get in towards the end of last year would definitely not consider this stock as a value trap. It is all in your perspective.

Has The ‘Smart Money’ Or The ‘Dumb Money’ Been Reducing Risk?

Riskier assets have been buckling clear across the asset board. Comfort seeking in treasury bonds over low-level investment grade bonds and higher-yielding junk bonds? A preference for recession-proof staples over the wider large-cap asset class? These are signs that momentum currently favors less risky alternatives. History has rarely been kind to those who ignore common sense warning signs. Is it the “smart money” or the “dumb money” that has been seeking safer portfolio pastures throughout 2015? Time itself will tell. That said, riskier assets have been buckling clear across the asset board. Consider the iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NYSEARCA: IEF ): iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA: HYG ) price ratio. A rising IEF:HYG price ratio signals an increasing desire for the perceived safety of U.S. treasuries over the higher yield-producing income of comparable corporates. The ratio has not been this high since mid-2014. Another relationship that typically offers insight into investor risk preferences is the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA: XLP ):SPDR S&P 500 Trust ETF (NYSEARCA: SPY ) price ratio. When there is skittishness about the economy, cigarette makers, soda pop providers and toothpaste purveyors tend to outperform the broader large-cap market of U.S. stocks. As it stands, momentum for XLP relative to SPY is near 52-week highs. Comfort seeking in treasury bonds over low-level investment grade bonds and higher-yielding junk bonds? A preference for recession-proof staples over the wider large-cap asset class? These are signs that momentum currently favors less risky alternatives. Indeed, there are plenty of additional examples where the less risky asset is outperforming the riskier selection. Compare the perceived safer world of large-company stocks versus the perceived riskiness of owning small-company stocks via the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA: IVV ):iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM ). Like most price ratio comparisons today, the lower risk option is experiencing far greater demand than the higher risk option. There are exceptions to the rule. For example, in foreign markets, large caps are underperforming small caps. This can be seen in the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF (NYSEARCA: VEU ): Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA: VSS ) price ratio. One possible reason for the trend toward the perceived riskier asset? Large foreign corporations are exceptionally dependent on international trade; lackluster world demand has put enormous pressure on exporters. In contrast, smaller companies around the globe are more dependent on their local economies as opposed to global trade. Another possible explanation? International small-caps have been beaten down so far that some may perceive them as more attractive from a valuation standpoint. However, relative strength in small-cap international stocks relative to larger-company brethren is not an indication of greater demand for riskier international holdings. In fact, like the overwhelming majority of “risk-on” asset classes, small-cap international stocks via VSS have been faltering since May. In particular, VSS is more than 10% below its 52-week high and remains well below its long-term 200-day moving average. With the U.S. economy showing signs of deceleration and U.S. stocks exhibiting unrestrained overvaluation , few should be caught off guard by waning enthusiasm for risk taking. One fact that looms particularly large? Year-to-date, more stocks in the U.S. have been declining than advancing for the first time since 2009. In sum, history has rarely been kind to those who ignore common sense warning signs. If you have long-term winners in your portfolio, restore those assets or asset classifications back to your original allocation. The cash that you raise from “pruning” will help you buy desirable assets at bargain prices in the future. If you have been holding onto losing vehicles, consider taking a small loss on each. The dollars that you raise from “cutting bait” will help you buy the best fish in the sea when those fish are attractively priced. For Gary’s latest podcast, click here . Disclosure: Gary Gordon, MS, CFP is the president of Pacific Park Financial, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC. Gary Gordon, Pacific Park Financial, Inc, and/or its clients may hold positions in the ETFs, mutual funds, and/or any investment asset mentioned above. The commentary does not constitute individualized investment advice. The opinions offered herein are not personalized recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities. At times, issuers of exchange-traded products compensate Pacific Park Financial, Inc. or its subsidiaries for advertising at the ETF Expert web site. ETF Expert content is created independently of any advertising relationships.