Expense Ratios
Mutual funds and brokers are always preaching not to buy any fund with a high expense ratio. That is the annual costs of the fund to pay for trading of stocks within their portfolio, salaries, rent, telephone, analysts, etc. Most of them tell you not to buy one that exceeds 1.5%. There is also another expense added by some mutual funds called a 12b1 (usually from ¼% to 1%) that is supposed to be used for promotional purposes only. These numbers may appear small, but they are being applied to multi-millions, sometimes billions of dollars.
The 12b1 is for advertising of the fund to bring in more investors. The more customers, the more money in the fund, spreads expenses over a greater amount of money and should reduce the expense ratio.
We have seen allegations recently that many funds are putting the 12b1 in the pockets of the fund managers and even as the fund gets larger and larger the expense fees have not been reduced.
I won't be discussing here the loads (commissions) charged as I see no reason to buy any fund that charges commissions; there are thousands of no-load (no commission) funds that outperform the load funds.
For example, here are 2 funds. The first is Pioneer Fund which incidentally has a commission charge of 5.75% with a price per share increase of 22% in 2003 and an expense ratio of 1.11%. Another fund Yacktman Focus Fund with no commission charge and a return of 27% with an expense ratio of 1.25%. Five percent better return is a huge difference. Which one would you buy?
The Merrill Lynch Global Technology Fund with a back end load of 4% and an expense ratio of 2.78% yielded 52% so far this year. Another no-load fund, Profunds BioTechnlogy, with an expense ration of 2.92% and has made 56% YTD. Another no-brainer as to which one you wished you had bought earlier this year. Just a couple of more: Enterprise Growth Fund with a commission of 4.75%, an expense of 1.73% and a return of 20% YTD and Rydex Energy Fund a no load with expenses of 1.39% and a return of 23% YTD.
Even if you leave out the commission charges you will easily find funds that have returns in excess of those with lower expense ratios. Don't be fooled by Wall Street nonsense of anything but net total return on your money. Period. If you take into account the additional commissions that many funds and brokerage companies charge you will quickly see you have been hoodwinked all these years.
The above examples are not extreme as I don't think expense ratios should mean anything to influence your purchase. Don't let any broker or financial planner sell you anything other than the best return for your money.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exitingMore Stocks & Mutual Funds Information:
Related Articles
Buy and Hold Investment Philosophy
Wall Street has been preaching the doctrine of Buy and Hold forever. The worst part about it is the small investor (and some big ones) actually believe it.
Dont Buy Worldcom! A Guide to Wise Bottom Fishing
Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought up the topic of the down-and-out company of the day and whether to buy now as a speculation. Last year, K-Mart was the big news, and everyone wanted to know whether this was a good stock play.
Selling Strategies - Setting a Stop Loss
Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is not to invest at all! However, when we make the decision to jump into the muddy waters of the stock market, its always a good idea to have a life jacket ready, just in case.We all have stories of that "must have" "can't lose" stock that looking back, we didn't really need to buy, and it definitely lost.
Lemmings Are Gathering
Before they go over the cliff to their destruction these little furry ones get together for a party and celebration. Each tells the other how smart he has been with his investments and buying and selling of stocks and real estate.
When Should I Sell?
People are always asking me when should I sell my stock or mutual funds?There are some relatively easy answers to this. In fact, so simple that you won't believe them, but they are things I have learned over the past 30 years as a professional trader on the floor of the commodity exchange in Chicago.
Lies, Damn Lies and Mutual Fund Returns
How many times has this happened to you? You're at a social function and the conversation turns to investing. Pretty soon, people are comparing how well their investments are doing.
Traders, Defend Against the Dreaded Death Spiral.
It has often been said that there is only two ways to get hurt really bad on a stock trade, getting caught in a "death spiral" by not using DTM: Decisive Trade Management in the way of stop loses and having a stock halted on you. Halts you have zero control over.
Mr. Market
I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio and other places talking about THE market. Of course, they mean the stock market which actually now is world wide and no longer just concentrated in New York.
Oil Stocks CHK WLL - What Is Their Worth?
(1) CHK stock price $16.74, NAV $32.
The Holy Grail (of Investment)
Every year I go to the Money Show in Orlando, Florida. Thousands attend.
Is Active Trading The Answer?
One of the main reasons many of us get into investing is to become financially independent. Who isn't trying to amass a portfolio with enough income to ensure that we don't have to work when we should be playing golf or traveling the world.
Stops Make Money
During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel. Fortunately, I keep the sound muted or I would be hollering at the dumb "experts" being interviewed.
Money, Insanity and Wall Street
Money: the most charged word in the planet. It means something to everyone.
Market Experience of a Naïve Stock Operator
Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me that I should play the stock market. Knowing nothing about the stock market, I turned to some colleagues to seem to know a lot about it.
Stock and Fund Dividends
When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative" brokers are preaching these days is to buy stocks that pay dividends. Everyone likes dividends.
Eternal Sunshine
There is a current movie entitled "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is about a man who has had a painful love affair and will do anything to rid his mind of those pain thoughts of a former love.
Living Trust Investing: Income Considerations when the Grantor Dies
A common problem I often see when working with living trust beneficiaries and trustees is the lack of attention in rethinking income strategies in the event of the grantor's death.When the grantor of a living trust dies, the trustee (especially a family member or close friend) sometimes feels reluctant to revise the portfolio, feeling it's an affront to the wishes of the deceased.
Understanding the Bulls and the Bears
If you've ever flipped on the television to CNN Financial or paged through the finance section of your local newspaper, you may have seen or heard references made to "the bulls and the bears." If you didn't know what was meant by those terms, you're about to find out.
Buying Mutual Funds
It looks like the market is ready to start up again so it is time to buy mutual funds, but you only want to invest your money in funds that go up. First, you don't want to start with a loss so be sure to purchase no-load mutual funds.
The Shadow
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program called The Shadow where the hero, Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, would overcome the shadowy forces of doom by clouding the vision of those around him.