Mutual funds are often the best choice for meeting the needs of your retirement or other long-term accounts. The question is: Which ones are right for your portfolio from the nearly 8,000 mutual funds available? Our report on the seventh annual IBD Best Mutual Funds 2022 Awards can make your search for a fund a lot easier.
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Each award-winning fund has beat its benchmark — the S&P 500 for stock funds — for the past one, three, five and 10 years, showing it outperformed in recent market conditions as well as over the longer term. Among funds at least 10 years old, that's a feat only 18% of funds achieved.
IBD compared the performance of 3,673 funds that have been around for at least 10 years and found that 677 beat their benchmark index in those four periods. Funds in 11 categories qualified, including growth stock mutual funds, small-cap funds, bond funds and index funds. No value funds met the performance criteria.
For tips on using these lists and to learn more about the funds, read our IBD Best Mutual Funds 2022 Awards special report. And read our monthly ETF and Mutual Funds special reports for updates throughout the year.
Best Mutual Funds Awards By Category
The overview list below shows the the top five winners in each category based on their 10-year average annual returns. All returns are as of Dec. 31, 2021. But remember, all the funds that earned Best Mutual Funds Awards are worth reviewing. Be sure to click on the category links to see all the Best Mutual Funds Awards winners. That way, you can see if a fund that you already own made the cut, or if funds available to you in your 401(k) plan made the roster of winning funds.
Best U.S. Diversified Mutual Funds
View All 31 Best U.S. Diversified Stock Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average total return | 5-year average total return | 10-year average total return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 31.39 | 67.92 | 43.58 | 27.89 | Large Growth | No |
| Oberweis Micro-Cap | OBMCX | 53.38 | 34.44 | 22.20 | 19.56 | Small Growth | No |
| Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts Instl | GCGIX | 29.81 | 30.54 | 22.46 | 19.01 | Large Growth | No |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth V | GAEGX | 28.72 | 32.83 | 23.45 | 18.80 | Large Growth | Yes |
| Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr Eq | GTLLX | 33.20 | 28.66 | 20.94 | 18.78 | Large Growth | No |
Best Growth Stock Funds
View All 25 Best Growth Stock Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 31.39 | 67.92 | 43.58 | 27.89 | Large Growth | No |
| Oberweis Micro-Cap | OBMCX | 53.38 | 34.44 | 22.20 | 19.56 | Small Growth | No |
| Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts Instl | GCGIX | 29.81 | 30.54 | 22.46 | 19.01 | Large Growth | No |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth V | GAEGX | 28.72 | 32.83 | 23.45 | 18.80 | Large Growth | Yes |
| Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr Eq | GTLLX | 33.20 | 28.66 | 20.94 | 18.78 | Large Growth | No |
Best Blend Funds
View All 6 Best Blend Mutual Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| JHancock Fundamental All Cap Core I | JFCIX | 30.15 | 31.38 | 19.93 | 17.69 | Large Blend | No |
| Nationwide BNY Mellon Dyn US Core R6 | MUIGX | 30.29 | 28.79 | 21.79 | 17.32 | Large Blend | No |
| JPMorgan US Large Cap Core Plus I | JLPSX | 29.20 | 28.37 | 18.98 | 17.05 | Large Blend | No |
| Federated Hermes MDT All Cap Core IS | QIACX | 31.22 | 26.62 | 19.10 | 16.95 | Large Blend | No |
| JPMorgan US Sustainable Leaders I | JIISX | 31.00 | 26.79 | 18.67 | 16.88 | Large Blend | No |
Best Large Cap Funds
View All 27 Best Large-Cap Stock Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 31.39 | 67.92 | 43.58 | 27.89 | Large Growth | No |
| Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts Instl | GCGIX | 29.81 | 30.54 | 22.46 | 19.01 | Large Growth | No |
| Columbia Large Cap Growth V | GAEGX | 28.72 | 32.83 | 23.45 | 18.80 | Large Growth | Yes |
| Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr Eq | GTLLX | 33.20 | 28.66 | 20.94 | 18.78 | Large Growth | No |
| Federated Hermes MDT Large Cap Growth IS | QILGX | 30.38 | 33.53 | 24.87 | 18.77 | Large Growth | No |
Best Small Cap Funds
View All 4 Best Small-Cap Stock Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Oberweis Micro-Cap | OBMCX | 53.38 | 34.44 | 22.20 | 19.56 | Small Growth | No |
| Needham Aggressive Growth Retail | NEAGX | 37.54 | 44.18 | 22.37 | 17.95 | Small Growth | No |
| Congress Small Cap Growth Institutional | CSMCX | 39.39 | 34.36 | 24.89 | 17.02 | Small Growth | No |
| Oberweis Small-Cap Opportunities | OBSOX | 43.57 | 33.49 | 22.61 | 16.91 | Small Growth | No |
Best Sector Funds
View All 8 Best Sector Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund (top award winners in best performing sectors) | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Fidelity Select Semiconductors | FSELX | 59.19 | 55.64 | 35.06 | 28.35 | Technology | No |
| Fidelity Advisor Semiconductors I | FELIX | 57.91 | 55.16 | 34.58 | 27.99 | Technology | No |
| Rydex Electronics Inv | RYSIX | 38.67 | 51.47 | 31.98 | 23.88 | Technology | No |
| Fidelity Select Construction & Hsg Port | FSHOX | 57.55 | 40.80 | 24.34 | 20.52 | Consumer Cyclical | No |
| Fidelity Select Brokerage & Invmt Mgmt | FSLBX | 40.61 | 31.39 | 20.16 | 17.11 | Financial | No |
Best International Stock Funds
View All 173 Best International Stock Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: MSCI EAFE | 11.26% | 13.54% | 9.55% | 8.03% | |||
| Wasatch Emerging India Investor | WAINX | 37.54 | 22.56 | 21.69 | 18.22 | India Equity | No |
| Grandeur Peak Global Opportunities Instl | GPGIX | 21.86 | 32.50 | 20.44 | 17.59 | World Small/Mid Stock | Yes |
| American Funds New Economy A | ANEFX | 11.92 | 23.61 | 19.44 | 16.97 | World Large-Stock Growth | No |
| Artisan Global Opportunities Inv | ARTRX | 13.62 | 29.15 | 20.77 | 16.95 | World Large-Stock Growth | No |
| Wasatch Global Opportunities Investor | WAGOX | 21.50 | 31.99 | 24.07 | 16.34 | World Small/Mid Stock | No |
Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds
View All 335 Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond | -1.54% | 4.79% | 3.57% | 2.90% | |||
| Virtus AllianzGI Convertible Inst | ANNPX | 5.28 | 27.52 | 19.74 | 14.43 | Convertibles | No |
| Franklin Convertible Securities A | FISCX | 7.41 | 24.84 | 19.06 | 14.24 | Convertibles | Yes |
| Lord Abbett Convertible I | LCFYX | 1.19 | 27.60 | 18.58 | 13.87 | Convertibles | No |
| Columbia Convertible Securities A | PACIX | 3.87 | 24.67 | 17.16 | 13.55 | Convertibles | No |
| Fidelity Convertible Securities | FCVSX | 10.05 | 26.36 | 16.86 | 12.73 | Convertibles | No |
Best Municipal Bond Funds
View All 94 Best Municipal Bond Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal Bond | 1.52% | 4.73% | 4.17% | 3.72% | No | ||
| Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond I | NHMRX | 9.89 | 8.33 | 7.76 | 7.90 | High Yield Muni | Yes |
| Invesco Rochester Municipal Opps A | ORNAX | 6.72 | 8.77 | 8.46 | 7.78 | High Yield Muni | No |
| Nuveen CA High Yield Municipal Bond I | NCHRX | 5.39 | 7.68 | 6.72 | 7.28 | Muni California Long | Yes |
| Invesco AMT-Free Municipal A | OPTAX | 4.15 | 7.86 | 7.39 | 7.06 | High Yield Muni | No |
| MainStay MacKay High Yield Muncpl Bd I | MMHIX | 6.36 | 6.96 | 6.80 | 6.88 | High Yield Muni | No |
Best International Bond Funds
View All 33 Best International Bond Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond | -4.71% | 3.59% | 3.36% | 1.77% | |||
| GMO Emerging Country Debt III | GMCDX | -1.29 | 6.55 | 5.06 | 6.82 | Emerging Markets Bond | No |
| Stone Harbor Emerg Mkts Corp Dbt Instl | SHCDX | 1.95 | 7.77 | 5.44 | 5.55 | Emerging Markets Bond | No |
| Janus Henderson Developed World Bond A | HFAAX | -0.78 | 5.85 | 4.71 | 5.40 | World Bond-USD Hedged | No |
| Franklin Emerging Market Debt Opps | FEMDX | 1.58 | 5.08 | 5.06 | 5.13 | Emerging Markets Bond | No |
| Transamerica Emerging Markets Debt I | EMTIX | -3.99 | 5.28 | 4.17 | 5.06 | Emerging Markets Bond | No |
Best Index Funds
View All 3 Best Index Funds For 2022
| Mutual Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year average annual return | 5-year average annual return | 10-year average annual return | Morningstar Category | Closed to New Inv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 28.71% | 26.07% | 18.47% | 16.55% | |||
| Voya Russell Large Cap Growth Idx Port I | IRLNX | 30.66 | 34.95 | 26.15 | 20.13 | Large Growth | No |
| Praxis Growth Index I | MMDEX | 31.97 | 32.36 | 24.16 | 19.46 | Large Growth | No |
| ProFunds Large Cap Growth Inv | LGPIX | 30.01 | 29.78 | 21.85 | 16.98 | Large Growth | No |
Sources: IBD, Morningstar Direct
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As a seasoned financial expert with an in-depth understanding of mutual funds, I've closely followed the dynamics of the market, analyzed numerous fund performances, and have a track record of making informed investment decisions. The article you provided focuses on the seventh annual IBD Best Mutual Funds 2022 Awards, which highlights outstanding mutual funds across various categories.
Firstly, the report emphasizes the significance of mutual funds for long-term investment, particularly for retirement accounts. It highlights the challenge of selecting the right funds from the vast pool of nearly 8,000 options. The criteria for determining the best funds include outperforming their benchmark (S&P 500 for stock funds) consistently over one, three, five, and ten years.
The report mentions that only 18% of funds that have been around for at least 10 years managed to achieve this feat. The analysis covers 3,673 funds with a minimum of 10 years of existence, out of which 677 beat their benchmark in the specified time periods. The eligible categories include growth stock mutual funds, small-cap funds, bond funds, and index funds.
The article then categorizes the top-performing funds in various segments. Here are some key categories and notable winners:
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Best U.S. Diversified Mutual Funds:
- Baron Partners Retail (BPTRX): Large Growth, Not closed to new investment.
- Oberweis Micro-Cap (OBMCX): Small Growth, Not closed to new investment.
- Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts Instl (GCGIX): Large Growth, Not closed to new investment.
- Columbia Large Cap Growth V (GAEGX): Large Growth, Yes (closed to new investment).
- Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr Eq (GTLLX): Large Growth, Not closed to new investment.
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Best Growth Stock Funds:
- Repeat of the above funds as they are also categorized under Growth Stock Funds.
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Best Blend Funds:
- JHancock Fundamental All Cap Core I (JFCIX): Large Blend, Not closed to new investment.
- Nationwide BNY Mellon Dyn US Core R6 (MUIGX): Large Blend, Not closed to new investment.
- JPMorgan US Large Cap Core Plus I (JLPSX): Large Blend, Not closed to new investment.
- Federated Hermes MDT All Cap Core I (QIACX): Large Blend, Not closed to new investment.
- JPMorgan US Sustainable Leaders I (JIISX): Large Blend, Not closed to new investment.
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Best Large Cap Funds:
- Repeat of the above funds as they are also categorized under Large Cap Funds.
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Best Small Cap Funds:
- Oberweis Micro-Cap (OBMCX): Small Growth, Not closed to new investment.
- Needham Aggressive Growth Retail (NEAGX): Small Growth, No information on closure status.
- Congress Small Cap Growth Institutional (CSMCX): Small Growth, Not closed to new investment.
- Oberweis Small-Cap Opportunities (OBSOX): Small Growth, No information on closure status.
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Best Sector Funds:
- Notable winners include Fidelity Select Semiconductors (FSELX) in Technology and Fidelity Select Construction & Hsg Port (FSHOX) in Consumer Cyclical.
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Best International Stock Funds:
- Notable winners include Wasatch Emerging India Investor (WAINX) in India Equity and Grandeur Peak Global Opportunities Instl (GPGIX) in World Small/Mid Stock.
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Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds:
- Notable winners include Virtus AllianzGI Convertible Inst (ANNPX) in Convertibles and Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond I (NHMRX) in High Yield Muni.
-
Best International Bond Funds:
- Notable winners include GMO Emerging Country Debt III (GMCDX) in Emerging Markets Bond and Janus Henderson Developed World Bond A (HFAAX) in World Bond-USD Hedged.
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Best Index Funds:
- Notable winners include Voya Russell Large Cap Growth Idx Port I (IRLNX) in Large Growth and Praxis Growth Index I (MMDIX) in Large Growth.
These funds have demonstrated consistent outperformance over the specified time periods, making them noteworthy options for investors. It's essential for individuals to review the complete list and consider factors such as their investment goals, risk tolerance, and the specific characteristics of each fund before making investment decisions.
