down the field to the five funds with the best track record.
Our top performer, the AIM Global Financial Services A Fund (GFSAX) managed a solid 14.3% average annual total return over the previous three years and an impressive 19.8% over five years. As of our screening earlier this year, the fund had sputtered in 2001 with 2.5%, although it still carries Morningstar’s highest rating of five stars. Nos. 2 and 3 might be good bets as well, Icon Financial (ICFSX) and Mutual Financial Services A (TFSIX), have both logged average annual returns of more than 12.5% over the past three years and were up in 2001. Icon has a five-star rating while Mutual has four stars from Morningstar.
Top Financial Services Mutual Funds
|
Fund Name (Ticker) |
Year-to- |
1-Year |
3-Year |
5-Year |
Toll-Free |
Minimum |
| STOCK FUNDS | ||||||
| Aim Global Financial Services A (GFSAX) |
-2.47 |
18.80 |
14.27 |
19.82 |
800-959-4246 |
$ 500 |
| Icon Financial (ICFSX) |
6.50 |
55.67 |
12.91 |
N/A |
800-764-0442 |
1,000 |
| Mutual Financial Services A (TFSIX) |
13.76 |
48.72 |
12.51 |
N/A |
800-342-5236 |
1,000 |
| T. Rowe Price Financial Services (PRISX) |
0.14 |
27.83 |
10.45 |
N/A |
800-638-5660 |
2,500 |
| Morgan Stanley Finan. Services (B FSVBX) |
-0.15 |
30.56 |
9.72 |
N/A |
800-869-6397 |
1,000 |
| *Ranked by three-year total returns as of June 30, 2001. Source: Morningstar, Inc. |
||||||
Bottom Financial Services Mutual Funds
|
Fund Name (Ticker) |
Year-to- |
1-Year |
3-Year |
5-Year |
Toll-Free |
Minimum |
| STOCK FUNDS | ||||||
| Banc Stock Group A (BANCX) |
17.30 |
55.06 |
1.34 |
N/A |
888-226-5595 |
$ 2,500 |
| Rydex Financial Services Inv (RYFIX) |
-6.23 |
16.08 |
1.25 |
N/A |
800-820-0888 |
25,000 |
| Brinson Financial Services Grth A (PREAX) |
-2.78 |
23.00 |
0.99 |
14.37 |
800-647-1568 |
1,000 |
| John Hancock Regional Bank B (FRBFX) |
4.63 |
43.42 |
0.66 |
14.81 |
800-225-5291 |
1,000 |
| Rydex Banking Adv (RYKAX) |
1.93 |
30.60 |
-5.49 |
N/A |
800-820-0888 |
|
| *Ranked by three-year total returns as of June 30, 2001. Source: Morningstar, Inc. |
||||||
