These mutual funds statistics will show you just how big of a role they play in investments.
With management fees continuously trending down, people are trading absolute control for:
- higher diversification,
- flexibility,
- professional management,
- access to global financial instruments, and markets, etc.
As you’re about to see, this is a HUGE industry, especially in the United States, a global leader of mutual funds.
Read on to find out why a lot of people ditch the traditionally safe and low-return investments like Certificates of Deposit and Treasuries, opting instead for mutual funds. We’ve also compiled the recently best performing mutual funds by category for you.
Ownership disclaimer: I have no financial interest in any of the funds mentioned in this article. Under no circumstances does this information represent a recommendation to buy or sell mutual funds or a specific mutual fund.
Let’s start with a few key mutual fund industry stats:
- There were over 126,457 regulated open-end funds worldwide in 2020
- 47% of the assets of regulated open funds worldwide in 2020 were concentrated in the US
- Average expense ratios for actively managed funds fell by 51 percentage points between 1996 and 2020, worldwide
- 45.7% households owned mutual funds in the US in 2020
- The mutual fund ownership in the US in 2020 was the highest among Gen X at 54%
- Saving for retirement is the primary financial goal for 94% of mutual fund owners in the US
- In 2020, the average return on mutual funds in seven major categories was about 10%
- US large-cap stock mutual funds had an average 15-year return of 8.66% as of December 2020
- Mutual fund fees can significantly reduce your returns if you’re not careful
If you’re new to mutual funds, or you’re in need of a refresher on just what exactly a mutual fund is and how one would go about investing in them, read through the sections ahead to get a better understanding of America’s investment of choice.
Related: 20 Dividend Investing Facts to Know Before You Invest in 2021
What are mutual funds?
A mutual fund is an SEC-registered investment company that allows you to pool money together with many other investors and invest into stocks, bonds, money-market instruments, and other assets. Thus, mutual funds give small (aka individual investors) a chance to buy into large, professionally managed portfolios, and achieve diversification at an affordable price.
These investors buy their shares from, and sell their shares to, the mutual fund. They do not own the securities themselves, only shares of the fund. Consequently, the investors of a mutual fund share in the profits or losses of the fund, in proportion to the amount they’ve invested.
A mutual fund can choose to invest solely into any single asset or a combination of assets. The assets a mutual fund purchases/owns is called it’s portfolio, and are managed by an SEC-registered money manager(s). These professional investment advisers choose how the funds assets are allocated in an effort to produce capital gains or income for the fund’s investors.
And they outline their investment strategies, objective, and how the portfolio is to be structured in a document called the prospectus. Which you use to gauge whether the fund is right for you. They also charge annual fees, and in some cases commissions. Which can affect a funds overall returns.
How to invest in mutual funds?
Over a hundred million Americans invest in mutual funds, and there are thousands of mutual funds out there. What’s drawing these investors to these fund? Simplicity, affordability, and instant diversification. They’re also very easy to get in and out of (we call that liquidity in the finance world).
So, how do you go about investing in one of these mutual funds?
- First, decide whether you want to invest in an actively managed or a passive fund. A passive fund basically mimics an index like the S&P 500 and there is little management involved. Whereas actively managed entails a human, or a team of humans, who are actively trying to beat the market.
- Second, calculate your budget. Different funds have different minimums, so this will help you filter out a large number of them. Ask yourself how much you need to get started, and then how you should invest that money, which depends on your age and how much risk you can take on.
- Third, decide where to buy the mutual fund. You can purchase one through an individual brokerage account, through an employee sponsored retirement account, or directly from the funds creator.
- Fourth, get familiar with scrutinizing fund fees. Mutual funds are a business, and a business’ goal is to make money. One major way they make their money is through management fees. So you should get familiar with these, they’re called the expense ratio. For example, if you see a fund with a 1% expense ratio, that means for every $1,000 you invest the fee is $10, or 1%. These fees are easy to miss, as they get taken out of your investment in the fund, instead of you getting a bill.
Finally, build and manage your portfolio. Past performance does not guarantee future performance. That is one thing to always keep in mind as you are choosing mutual funds with prospectus’ that are aligned with your investment philosophy. A finance cliché that holds true no matter the case.
What are some mutual fund industry trends?
1. There were over 126,457 regulated open-end funds worldwide in 2020
(Source: Statista I)
That’s a lot of fund vying for attention and investors, and considering open-end mutual funds are typically actively managed by fund managers who charge management fees, it pays to outperform.
2. The total number of regulated open-funds worldwide grew 3.21% between 2019 and 2020
(Source: Statista I)
The total number of fund went from 122,520 in 2019 to 126,457 in 2020, and it will be interesting to see what the numbers are for 2021, considering the global pandemic that took place in 2020.
3. 47% of the assets of regulated open funds worldwide in 2020 were concentrated in the US
(Source: Statista II)
The distribution of assets figure shows us that the United States accounted for 47 percent of the assets these regulated open funds hold. Next up is Europe with 35%, after that is Asia with 14%, with the rest of the world accounting for just 5%.
4. Mutual funds assets statistics show that the assets invested in regulated open-end funds worldwide were $54.9 trillion at the end of 2019
(Source: Wikipedia.org)
The United States accounted for the majority of the investments at $26.7 trillion, the second closest was Australia with a ‘mere’ $5.3 trillion in comparison. Ireland was number three with $3.4 trillion, followed by Germany with $2.5 trillion.
5. How big is the mutual fund industry? The total net assets of US-registered mutual funds in 2020 were $23.9 trillion
(Source: Statista III)
A 12.25% jump from the 2019 figure of $21.29 trillion, and an obviously huge increase since the year 2000, at which point the total net assets of US-registered mutual funds was $6.97 trillion.
6. How many mutual funds are there in the US? 7,636 according to 2020 figures
(Source: Statista IV)
A -3.86% decrease from 7,943 in 2019. Which isn’t as drastic as one would think, considering the forced slowdown and lockdown of economic activity throughout most of the world due to COVID.
7. The total net assets of US-registered mutual funds more than doubled between 2008 and 2020
(Source: Statista V)
In 2008 the total net assets of mutual funds registered in the United States was sitting at $9.62 trillion, while in 2020 that number had more than doubled in size and was at $23.9 trillion.
8. Domestic equity funds accounted for 43% of total mutual fund and ETFs in the US in 2020
(Source: Statista VI)
Domestic equity funds continued to be the favorite, followed by bond funds at 21% of the share, money market funds at 15% percent of the share, world equity funds at 14% percent, and 6% for hybrid and other funds (which includes ETFs, both registered and unregistered under the Investment Company Act of 1940).
9. Total mutual fund net assets in the US beat expectations of reaching $23.73 trillion by 2024
(Source: Mordor Intelligence)
Back in early 2019, Mordor Intelligence had predicted the total mutual fund net assets in the United States would amount to $23.73 trillion by 2024, by applying the CAGR 5.21% figure the fund grew at from 2012 to 2018. However, their projection came much earlier than expected, as the 2020 the US total Mutual Funds net assets value reached $23.9 trillion.
10. Australia has the second-largest mutual fund industry, with mutual funds assets under management worth $5.3 trillion
(Source: Wikipedia.org)
Australia comes in second and Ireland third, but what is even more interesting is that China is all the way in 10th place with just $1.4 trillion. Germany, Luxembourg, France and Japan all sit in the middle of the table, all of them hovering over $2 trillion but under $3 trillion in assets.
11. BlackRock Funds has over $9 trillion assets under management making it the the largest mutual fund management company in the world
(Source: Mutual Fund Directory)
Not only does it lead in first place by a cool $1.8 trillion past the second place Vanguard in 2021, BlackRock Funds is the first investment company in the world to surpass $9 trillion dollars in assets under management. Charles Schwab and Fidelity sit at 3rd and 4th places respectively.
12. The largest mutual fund in the world is the VFIAX with $401.691 billion assets under management
(Source: MarketWatch)
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral (VFIAX) is a fund seeking to track the performance of the S&P 500, which it has set as it’s benchmark index. As of July 2021, it is the biggest mutual fund in the world with over $400 billion in assets. It boasts an impressive 5yr yield of 127.25%.
13. Fidelity Investments has the highest mutual funds number at 524, with an average expense ratio of 0.42%
(Source: MutualFunds.com)
In 2021, Fidelity was sitting in first place when it comes to the number of mutual funds, and it’s average expense ratio was .41%, with an average manager tenure of 9 years. It’s oldest fund was launched in 1930.
14. Average expense ratios for actively managed equity mutual funds worldwide fell by 51 percentage points between 1996 and 2020
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
Back in 1996 the average expense ratios for long-term mutual funds was 1.04%, and in 2020 the figure was 0.50%. At the same time bond mutual fund expense ratios fell from 0.84% in 1996 to 0.42% in 2020. The hybrid funds funds saw a significant 24 year decrease as well, going from 0.94% to 0.59%.
15. Combined active and passive fund expense ratios in the US are expected to decline by 30% by 2025
(Source: PwC)
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers the mutual funds industry is in for slower growth and shrinking fees on the way to 2025. This persistent decline in total expense ratios in both active and passive realms may mean fund managers will have a difficult time improving their profit margins.
Related: 40+ Stats Highlighting the Growth of Digital Banking
What do American investors think of mutual funds?
16. 45.7% households owned mutual funds in the US in 2020.
(Source: Statista VII)
Back in 1980, only 5.7% of United States household owned mutual funds. By 1985 that number had jumped to 14.7%, by 1995 to 28.7% and by the year 2000 it was sitting at 45.7%, which is exactly the percentage figure for 2020 as well. All-in-all, in the past 20 years the percentage of US household owning mutual funds has hovered around 45%, never dropping below 43%.
Related: 25+ Must-See Stats About the Average American Credit Card Debt
17. The median mutual funds asset allocation of households was $126.7K in 2020.
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
By the year end of 2020, households held 89% of mutual fund total net assets, this included retirement accounts, variable annuities, 529 plans, and Coverdell education savings accounts. Of these household owning mutual funds, 56% were college grads, and 75% worked full or part-time.
Related: 20+ Average American Savings Stats You Need to See
18. The mutual fund ownership in the US in 2020 was the highest among Gen X at 54%.
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
Those born between 1965 and 1980 have the highest percentage of household that own mutual funds. Generation Z and Millennials are after them at 47%, whilst Baby Boomers are at 44%.
19. Nearly 90% of mutual fund-owning households cite historical performance as a very or somewhat important criterion when choosing mutual funds.
(Source: ThinkAdvisor)
How do investors choose their mutual funds? According to a 2018 ICI Annual Mutual Fund Shareholder Tracking Survey, almost 90% of household owning mutual funds stated historical performance is a top consideration when weighing their options, with 50% of them listing it as the most important thing they look at when considering a mutual fund as an investment.
20. Two-thirds of US investors preferring mutual funds say they expect an annual return between 4% and 6%.
(Source: The Balance)
What is a good return on a mutual fund investment? In general for stock-mutual funds a 8% to 10% over the past 10 years is considered a “good” long-term return. For bond mutual funds a good long-term return would be 4% to 5%.
21. 22% of investors say the primary reason they avoid mutual funds is high management fees.
(Source: Brandon Gaille)
Quite a substantial figure, considering the mutual fund statistic that showed fees have been falling for quite some time and continue to do so. Buying funds today is on average cheaper than ever.
22. Saving for retirement is the primary financial goal for 94% of mutual fund owners in the US.
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
When US mutual fund owners are asked why they invest in mutual funds, 94% of them cited retirement as the primary reason. A reason that trumps all others by a long stretch, with emergencies and reducing taxable income coming in second at 47% of responses each.
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23. 46% of all mutual funds assets in the US are held in retirement accounts, as per mutual funds statistics.
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
Retirement account investments and mutual funds seem to be joined at the hip, with mutual fund assets being held in retirement accounts clocked in at $11.3 trillion in March of 2021. Constituting almost half of overall mutual fund assets.
What are some interesting mutual fund statistics and facts?
24. For stock mutual funds, a good long-term annualized return is 8%–10%
(Source: The Balance I)
When comparing mutual funds its important to make the distinction between an annual return and an annualized return. If you see the annual return listed, it means the gain or loss over the course of a year. If you see the annualized return, it represents the average rate of return over a multi-year period. A good long-term average return for bond mutual funds is in the 4%-5% range.
25. In 2020, the average return on mutual funds in seven major categories was about 10%
(Source: The Balance II)
Down from a 13% annual figure in 2019, but almost double the average annual return for the past 15 years. Of the 7 major categories, funds in the U.S. Large-Cap Stocks category performed the best with a 13.7% annual rate in 2020, followed by Mid-Cap at 11.50% and Small-Cap at 10.25%.
26. US large-cap stock mutual funds had an average 15-year return of 8.66% as of December 2020
(Source: The Balance II)
Very much in line with the recommended “good” long-term average mutual fund return of 8%-10%. For comparison, the International Large-Cap Stocks fund category has an average 15-year return of 4.44%. What does this mean? Stocks of big U.S. corporations have outperformed all other categories examined by Morningstar.
27. Long-term bond mutual funds had an average 15-year return of 5.27% as of December 2020
(Source: The Balance II)
Down from the 6.38% 15-year average snapshot back in 2019, the 15-year average return for long-term bond mutual funds was at 5.27% at the end of 2020. Outperforming the 15-year averages of both intermediate- and short-term bond fund categories. Now that may not seem like a great return to some, but keep reading for further comparison.
28. At a 9.5% average annualized return, mutual funds outperformed other major types of investments as of December 2020
(Source: The Balance II)
At first 9%-10% may not seem like a lot to many people, especially the meme-stock group. But consider the fact that mutual funds continue to outpace inflation and outperform investments such as certificates of deposit (CDs), gold, and 10-year treasury bonds.
The average interest rate for a 5-year CD has held steady under 2% for most of the past decade, gold has averaged 3.14%, the safe and sound 10-year Treasuries have an annualized return for the past decade of 2.7%. All of a sudden the average annualized return of 9%-10% long-term is no small feat.
29. As of April 2021, the best performing US equity mutual fund was Bridgeway Small-Cap Value (BRSVX)
(Source: Nerdwallet)
With a YTD of 45.32% for 2021 and a 17.19% 5-year performance, the BRSVX was the leader in the first half of 2021. However, Bridgeway Ultra-Small Company Market has a better 5-year return of 18.8%. As of July 2021, BRSVX YTD return has increased to 54.68%.
30. Average expense ratios of hybrid mutual funds fell from 0.95% in 1996 to 0.59% in 2020
(Source: Investment Company Institute)
As mentioned earlier in this article, the average expense ratios of equity mutual funds has fallen 40% percent over the last decade alone. Both actively managed and index mutual funds have seen their expense ratios shrink over the pas two decades, primarily as a result of a competitive marketplace according to Shelly Antoniewicz, ICI’s senior director of industry and financial analysis
31. Mutual fund fees can significantly reduce your returns if you’re not careful
(Source: HerMoney.com)
This is simply a range of management fees you may come across, some may even charge more than 8.5%, with a rather convincing justification, no doubt. Consider this exercise:
- $100,000 in a portfolio over the course of 20 years,
- management fee of 1% vs. management fee of 0.25%,
- assuming a 4% return over the 20 years.
The 1% fee will cost you nearly $30,000 and putting your portfolio balance at $180,000 at the end of 20 years, whereas the 0.25% fee will leave you with $210,000 a the 20 year mark. Which fee would you rather be charged?
32. Two-thirds of all Large-cap actively-managed funds do worse than their benchmark indexes
(Source: Forbes)
According to the latest year end report car (Dec. 31, 2019), the battle between passive and active management saw passive take yet another win. The benchmark for U.S. Large-cap stocks, the S&P 500, saw an absolute return of 31.5% in 2019, it’s second highest annual return since 2001. Yet among all domestic equity funds, 71% of the Large-cap fund under-performed the S&P 500.
However, 2020 has been quite a volatile year, and it is in extreme volatility that skilled fun managers have an opportunity to shine, so its worth waiting on the recent data to make a more recent analysis.
33. Mutual funds typically maintain a cash ratio of 3% to 5%
(Source: Investopedia)
A cash ratio is basically how much of it’s assets a mutual fund is keeping in cash, you simply take the total cash (adding total cash equivalents if it makes sense) figure and divide it by the funds total assets under management. Some investors keep their eye on this figure as an indicator of which direction the market might be heading in. Over 5% and the investors see a bearish market ahead, under 5% and the investors see a more bullish outlook, as the funds are not scared to invest.
34. 92.43% of large-cap managers, 95.13% of mid-cap managers, and 97.70% of small-cap managers failed to outperform the market over 15-year period
(Source: AEI.org)
Over the 15-year period from June 30, 2003 to June 30, 2018, only a elite tiny percentage of active fund managers were able to beat the market. 1-in-13 from Large-cap, 1-in-21 from Mid-cap, and 1-in-43 small-cap fund managers were successful at beating their respective benchmarks. This is where it is worth pointing out that just because they’ve done so in the past, does not mean they’ll continue to do it in the future.
Which mutual funds performed the best over the last decade?
Best Mutual Funds Awards By Category
After reading the above statistics, you need no reminder on how hard it is to ‘beat the market’. Also, after reading about the number of mutual funds our there in the United States alone, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed as to where you would even begin to find the best performing mutual funds out there.
Well, let us start with the below tables of the best mutual funds in a few popular categories.
All returns as of Dec. 31, 2020. ‘Closed’ means the fund is not accepting new investors.
(Source: Investors.com)
Best U.S. Diversified Mutual Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 148.52 | 52.28 | 37.04 | 23.71 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Insight I | CPODX | 116.57 | 48.11 | 35.94 | 23.51 | Large Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I | MSEQX | 115.57 | 41.92 | 32.17 | 23.12 | Large Growth | No |
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I | PXSGX | 43.28 | 29.91 | 30.13 | 22.11 | Small Growth | Yes |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A | SAGAX | 119.10 | 49.17 | 34.15 | 21.92 | Large Growth | No |
Best Growth Stock Mutual Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 148.52 | 52.28 | 37.04 | 23.71 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Insight I | CPODX | 116.57 | 48.11 | 35.94 | 23.51 | Large Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I | MSEQX | 115.57 | 41.92 | 32.17 | 23.12 | Large Growth | No |
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I | PXSGX | 43.28 | 29.91 | 30.13 | 22.11 | Small Growth | Yes |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A | SAGAX | 119.10 | 49.17 | 34.15 | 21.92 | Large Growth | No |
Best Blend Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| PIMCO StocksPLUS Absolute Return Instl | PSPTX | 18.82 | 14.24 | 16.22 | 14.95 | Large Blend | No |
| GMO Quality IV | GQEFX | 18.51 | 16.22 | 17.34 | 14.86 | Large Blend | No |
| CIBC Atlas Disciplined Equity Instl | AWEIX | 19.28 | 16.30 | 15.84 | 14.47 | Large Blend | No |
| Johnson Enhanced Return | JENHX | 19.38 | 14.49 | 15.51 | 14.36 | Large Blend | No |
| JPMorgan US Equity L | JMUEX | 26.54 | 16.29 | 16.20 | 14.35 | Large Blend | Yes |
Best Large-Cap Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark:S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| Morgan Stanley Insight I | CPODX | 116.57 | 48.11 | 35.94 | 23.51 | Large Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I | MSEQX | 115.57 | 41.92 | 32.17 | 23.12 | Large Growth | No |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A | SAGAX | 119.10 | 49.17 | 34.15 | 21.92 | Large Growth | No |
| Transamerica Capital Growth A | IALAX | 111.61 | 40.01 | 30.80 | 21.88 | Large Growth | No |
| Fidelity Advisor Growth Opps M | FAGOX | 68.19 | 38.89 | 29.12 | 21.29 | Large Growth | No |
Best Midcap Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| Baron Partners Retail | BPTRX | 148.52 | 52.28 | 37.04 | 23.71 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
| T. Rowe Price New Horizons | PRNHX | 57.72 | 31.23 | 26.21 | 20.70 | Mid-Cap Growth | Yes |
| Delaware Smid Cap Growth A | DFCIX | 93.92 | 37.99 | 27.71 | 20.16 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Discovery I | MPEGX | 142.56 | 56.09 | 35.63 | 19.97 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
| Eventide Gilead N | ETGLX | 55.11 | 26.47 | 22.08 | 18.94 | Mid-Cap Growth | No |
Best Small-Cap Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I | PXSGX | 43.28 | 29.91 | 30.13 | 22.11 | Small Growth | Yes |
| Lord Abbett Micro Cap Growth I | LMIYX | 79.62 | 35.46 | 28.55 | 20.20 | Small Growth | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Inception I | MSSGX | 150.57 | 51.04 | 33.14 | 19.42 | Small Growth | No |
| Wasatch Ultra Growth | WAMCX | 71.38 | 37.79 | 30.04 | 19.03 | Small Growth | Yes |
| Artisan Small Cap Investor | ARTSX | 61.00 | 32.14 | 25.29 | 18.66 | Small Growth | No |
Best Sector Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 18.40 | 14.18 | 15.22 | 13.88 | |||
| T. Rowe Price Global Technology | PRGTX | 75.63 | 28.70 | 27.30 | 23.47 | US Fund Technology | No |
| Fidelity Select Retailing | FSRPX | 44.33 | 24.02 | 20.17 | 19.96 | US Fund Consumer Cyclical | No |
| T. Rowe Price Comm & Tech Investor | PRMTX | 53.66 | 26.42 | 23.63 | 19.25 | US Fund Communications | No |
| Fidelity Select Medical Tech and Devcs | FSMEX | 30.04 | 25.10 | 21.91 | 19.15 | US Fund Health | No |
| Baron Real Estate Institutional | BREIX | 44.28 | 17.56 | 15.97 | 15.72 | US Fund Real Estate | No |
Best International Mutual Funds
| Fund Name | Symbol | 1-yr Return | 3-yr Average | 5-yr Average | 10-yr Average | Category | Closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Inst Global Advtg I | MIGIX | 94.98 | 34.19 | 27.94 | 19.09 | World Large Stock | No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Global Opp I | MGGIX | 55.47 | 25.71 | 24.57 | 18.97 | World Large Stock | Yes |
| T. Rowe Price Global Stock | PRGSX | 52.25 | 25.10 | 22.53 | 15.69 | World Large Stock | No |
| Seven Canyons World Innovators Investor | WAGTX | 67.92 | 21.93 | 19.78 | 15.33 | Foreign Small/Mid Growth | No |
| Sands Capital Global Growth Inst | SCMGX | 49.56 | 23.72 | 21.41 | 15.15 | World Large Stock | No |
Now, you may see the above numbers and think to yourself, “this is easy, all the best ones are right there in front of me,” and I’m sorry to be the one to disappoint, but good performance in the past does not indicate good performance in the future. In fact, as you saw from one of the statistics on mutual funds above, it is extremely difficult to outperform the market over the long-run.
Note on the numbers used in the article: In an effort to paint a fuller picture, the figures in this article were aggregated from numerous credible sources, who reported the results of their surveys at various points in time.
Parting Words
By now I hope you have a clearer understanding of what mutual funds are, how to invest in one, and what the overall mutual funds industry looks like and why it’s so popular in the United States and continues to gain in popularity in other countries. But as these mutual funds statistics also show, there are ones that charge a great deal in fees that will eat into your returns, and good performance is definitely not guaranteed by even the best of the best.
That being said, they are still a great way for an average investor to participate in the financial markets through professional means, and with the abundance of mutual funds options out there, they’re suitable for most risk appetites and are a financial vehicle would-be investors should certainly be aware of.
Sources
Statista I | Statista II | Wikipedia | Statista III | Statista IV | Statista V | Statista VI | Mordor Intelligence | Mutual Fund Directory | MarketWatch | MutualFunds.com | Investment Company Institute | PwC | Statista VII | Investment Company Institute | ThinkAdvisor | The Balance | Brandon Gaille | The Balance I | The Balance II | Nerdwallet | HerMoney.com | Forbes | Investopedia | AEI.org | Investors.com
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