In our April 2021 commentary, David highlighted: “The Total Stock Market Index is up 62% in the past 12 months. 291 funds (and uncounted ETFs) have 12-month returns in excess of 100% …” By the end of the bull run in December, that number had grown to 730 mutual funds and 1102, including ETFs. The S&P 500 ended up 90%.
If we examine just US & Global Equity funds and ETFs but exclude trading (e.g., leveraged) and sector funds, The 100 Club tallied 705 or more than a quarter of the 3000 products available in the US.
Here are the top 15, by absolute return, from our MultiSearch screener:
The list includes two funds by legendary growth investor Ron Baron, Partners Retail [BPTRX] and Focused Growth Retail [BFGFX]; two by disruptive investor Dennis Lynch of Morgan Stanley’s Counterpoint Global team, Global Endurance [MSJIX] and Inception [MSSGX]. Dennis was awarded Morningstar Manager of the Year in 2013 and, more recently, WSJ’s Winners’ Circle; and two by Hodges, as Top Rated family on MFO’s Fund Family Scorecard.
Of this list of top 15 funds, most are mutual funds, most are small cap, and ALL are actively managed. Six funds actually made The 200 Club. One made The 300 Club.
In David’s article, he actually cautioned investors: “… this is no time to be a hero.”
Here are the year-to-date numbers for the same 15 funds, sorted worst to best:
Needless to say, there is no 100 Club year to date or the past 12 months. Going back to early 2020, just before Covid changed the world? Ron Baron’s are its only members. And for that, he can thank the courage of his conviction with TSLA.