30 Top-Performing Mutual Funds This Year

Mutual funds are supposed to be a way for the uninformed investor to take advantage of the stock market. A few broad-based funds can give you a simple way to build a very diverse portfolio without having to research the risks and potential rewards of thousands of different stocks, bonds or other assets. However, as helpful as mutual funds are to the investing process, you still have to choose which one is right for you. And, with such a huge universe of options ranging from incredibly mild to extremely risky, that can be almost as daunting a task as picking the individual stocks that comprise them.

Fortunately, GOBankingRates did some of your homework for you. This new study has taken some 330 different mutual funds and scored them on their year-to-date performance and their “expense ratio” — essentially what percent of the fund the company running it holds back as their management fee. This should give you a sense of which funds are having a banner year without necessarily charging too much in the process.

For additional context, the study also included a few other factors that will matter more for the long-term investor, like the average annual return over the last five and 10 years. All told, this study should provide any investor a good rundown of the funds that are in the midst of a truly hot year, as well as which of them have low fees and proven lasting power over the longer term.

Last updated: Oct. 2, 2019

• Symbol: BMGAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $25.63
• Net assets: $4.94 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 35.54%
• 5-year average annual return: 15.37%
• 10-year average annual return: 15.97%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.26%

• Symbol: MEIFX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $19.50
• Net assets: $61.52 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 37.16%
• 5-year average annual return: 14.01%
• 10-year average annual return: 14.78%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.40%

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• Symbol: PMBSX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $30.60
• Net assets: $16.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 33.32%
• 5-year average annual return: 12.28%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.22%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.97%

• Symbol: PEMGX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $30.05
• Net assets: $16.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 33.29%
• 5-year average annual return: 12.27%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.17%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.96%

• Symbol: FSDAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $18.95
• Net assets: $2.95 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 31.41%
• 5-year average annual return: 16.02%
• 10-year average annual return: 17.88%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.75%

• Symbol: TEPIX
• Minimum initial purchase: $15,000
• Share price: $147.10
• Net assets: $86.65 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 38.14%
• 5-year average annual return: 20.51%
• 10-year average annual return: 21.20%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.49%

• Symbol: WFDAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $34.43
• Net assets: $2.57 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 35.71%
• 5-year average annual return: 11.60%
• 10-year average annual return: 15.96%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.21%

• Symbol: RYVLX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $167.14
• Net assets: $416.63 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 41.90%
• 5-year average annual return: 23.55%
• 10-year average annual return: 31.58%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.89%

• Symbol: RMQHX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $153.10
• Net assets: $154.76 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 41.63%
• 5-year average annual return: N/A*
• 10-year average annual return: N/A*
• Gross expense ratio: 1.81%

*Not enough data; fund’s inception date is Nov. 27, 2014

• Symbol: FGDAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $22.40
• Net assets: $1.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 36.10%
• 5-year average annual return: 1.53%
• 10-year average annual return: -2.45%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.19%

Learn: How To Buy Stocks

• Symbol: RMQAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $149.54
• Net assets: $154.76 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 41.73%
• 5-year average annual return: N/A*
• 10-year average annual return: N/A*
• Gross expense ratio: 1.81%

*Not enough data; fund’s inception date is Nov. 27, 2014.

• Symbol: OCMGX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $8.56
• Net assets: $36.28 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 51.38%
• 5-year average annual return: 3.59%
• 10-year average annual return: 0.42%
• Gross expense ratio: 2.86%

• Symbol: FSHOX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $62.86
• Net assets: $274.72 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 32.93%
• 5-year average annual return: 10.93%
• 10-year average annual return: 14.77%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.80%

• Symbol: PMBPX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $30.42
• Net assets: $16.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 33.41%
• 5-year average annual return: 12.42%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.36%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.85%

• Symbol: PMBJX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $28.88
• Net assets: $16.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 33.46%
• 5-year average annual return: 12.44%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.24%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.85%

• Symbol: LAGWX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $24.20
• Net assets: $1.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 35.09%
• 5-year average annual return: 11.11%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.27%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.93%

• Symbol: DXQLX
• Minimum initial purchase: $25,000
• Share price: $26.24
• Net assets: $181.86 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 40.87%
• 5-year average annual return: 24.23%
• 10-year average annual return: 32.67%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.47%

• Symbol: PMAQX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $30.85
• Net assets: $16.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 33.67%
• 5-year average annual return: 12.57%
• 10-year average annual return: 16.43%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.59%

• Symbol: FSAGX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $23.10
• Net assets: $1.97 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 36.41%
• 5-year average annual return: 1.85%
• 10-year average annual return: -2.17%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.86%

• Symbol: GOLDX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $15.61
• Net assets: $312.66 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 42.99%
• 5-year average annual return: 3.58%
• 10-year average annual return: 0.06%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.55%

• Symbol: UOPIX
• Minimum initial purchase: $15,000
• Share price: $78.73
• Net assets: $511.84 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 41.77%
• 5-year average annual return: 23.44%
• 10-year average annual return: 31.48%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.41%

• Symbol: RYPMX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $32.07
• Net assets: $80.68 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 42.19%
• 5-year average annual return: -0.35%
• 10-year average annual return: -2.47%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.39%

• Symbol: FBSOX
• Minimum initial purchase: $0
• Share price: $72.73
• Net assets: $4.06 billion
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 36.39%
• 5-year average annual return: 20.24%
• 10-year average annual return: 20.43%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.74%

• Symbol: USAGX
• Minimum initial purchase: $3,000
• Share price: $15.47
• Net assets: $666.61 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 41.42%
• 5-year average annual return: 0.5%
• 10-year average annual return: -2.12%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.27%

• Symbol: OCMAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $9.46
• Net assets: $36.28 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 52.36%
• 5-year average annual return: 4.38%
• 10-year average annual return: 1.07%
• Gross expense ratio: 2.36%

• Symbol: EKWAX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $42.14
• Net assets: $368.18 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 43.22%
• 5-year average annual return: 1.90%
• 10-year average annual return: -0.78%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.22%

Discover: The Best Short-Term Investments

• Symbol: BGEIX
• Minimum initial purchase: $2,500
• Share price: $10.64
• Net assets: $547.13 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 39.88%
• 5-year average annual return: 3.32%
• 10-year average annual return: -0.67%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.67%

• Symbol: FKRCX
• Minimum initial purchase: $1,000
• Share price: $17.44
• Net assets: $973.89 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 44.31%
• 5-year average annual return: 0.22%
• 10-year average annual return: -2.19%
• Gross expense ratio: 0.98%

• Symbol: PMPSX
• Minimum initial purchase: $15,000
• Share price: $40
• Net assets: $35.58 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 66.55%
• 5-year average annual return: -8.04%
• 10-year average annual return: -10.03%
• Gross expense ratio: 2.52%

• Symbol: PMPIX
• Minimum initial purchase: $15,000
• Share price: $46.21
• Net assets: $35.58 million
• Fund performance (year-to-date return): 67.79%
• 5-year average annual return: -7.13%
• 10-year average annual return: -9.13%
• Gross expense ratio: 1.52%

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Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed 330 noninstitutional mutual funds in terms of year-to-date return and gross expense ratio, as reported by Yahoo Finance. Included as supplemental data for each mutual fund are the 5-year average return and 10-year average return, both sourced from Yahoo Finance. The minimum initial purchase was sourced from FINRA. All data used to conduct this study was compiled and verified on Sept. 17, 2019.