See Which Mutual Funds Beat The S&P Over 1, 3, 5 And 10 Years (2024)

Mutual funds are often the best choice for meeting the needs of your retirement or other long-term accounts. The question is: Which ones are right for your portfolio from the nearly 8,000 mutual funds available? Our report on the seventh annual IBD Best Mutual Funds 2022 Awards can make your search for a fund a lot easier.

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Each award-winning fund has beat its benchmark — the S&P 500 for stock funds — for the past one, three, five and 10 years, showing it outperformed in recent market conditions as well as over the longer term. Among funds at least 10 years old, that's a feat only 18% of funds achieved.

IBD compared the performance of 3,673 funds that have been around for at least 10 years and found that 677 beat their benchmark index in those four periods. Funds in 11 categories qualified, including growth stock mutual funds, small-cap funds, bond funds and index funds. No value funds met the performance criteria.

See Which Mutual Funds Beat The S&P Over 1, 3, 5 And 10 Years (1)For tips on using these lists and to learn more about the funds, read our IBD Best Mutual Funds 2022 Awards special report. And read our monthly ETF and Mutual Funds special reports for updates throughout the year.

Best Mutual Funds Awards By Category

The overview list below shows the the top five winners in each category based on their 10-year average annual returns. All returns are as of Dec. 31, 2021. But remember, all the funds that earned Best Mutual Funds Awards are worth reviewing. Be sure to click on the category links to see all the Best Mutual Funds Awards winners. That way, you can see if a fund that you already own made the cut, or if funds available to you in your 401(k) plan made the roster of winning funds.

Best U.S. Diversified Mutual Funds

View All 31 Best U.S. Diversified Stock Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average total return5-year average total return10-year average total returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Baron Partners RetailBPTRX31.3967.9243.5827.89Large GrowthNo
Oberweis Micro-CapOBMCX53.3834.4422.2019.56Small GrowthNo
Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts InstlGCGIX29.8130.5422.4619.01Large GrowthNo
Columbia Large Cap Growth VGAEGX28.7232.8323.4518.80Large GrowthYes
Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr EqGTLLX33.2028.6620.9418.78Large GrowthNo

Best Growth Stock Funds

View All 25 Best Growth Stock Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Baron Partners RetailBPTRX31.3967.9243.5827.89Large GrowthNo
Oberweis Micro-CapOBMCX53.3834.4422.2019.56Small GrowthNo
Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts InstlGCGIX29.8130.5422.4619.01Large GrowthNo
Columbia Large Cap Growth VGAEGX28.7232.8323.4518.80Large GrowthYes
Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr EqGTLLX33.2028.6620.9418.78Large GrowthNo

Best Blend Funds

View All 6 Best Blend Mutual Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
JHanco*ck Fundamental All Cap Core IJFCIX30.1531.3819.9317.69Large BlendNo
Nationwide BNY Mellon Dyn US Core R6MUIGX30.2928.7921.7917.32Large BlendNo
JPMorgan US Large Cap Core Plus IJLPSX29.2028.3718.9817.05Large BlendNo
Federated Hermes MDT All Cap Core ISQIACX31.2226.6219.1016.95Large BlendNo
JPMorgan US Sustainable Leaders IJIISX31.0026.7918.6716.88Large BlendNo

Best Large Cap Funds

View All 27 Best Large-Cap Stock Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Baron Partners RetailBPTRX31.3967.9243.5827.89Large GrowthNo
Goldman Sachs Large Cap Gr Insghts InstlGCGIX29.8130.5422.4619.01Large GrowthNo
Columbia Large Cap Growth VGAEGX28.7232.8323.4518.80Large GrowthYes
Glenmede Quant US Large Cap Gr EqGTLLX33.2028.6620.9418.78Large GrowthNo
Federated Hermes MDT Large Cap Growth ISQILGX30.3833.5324.8718.77Large GrowthNo

Best Small Cap Funds

View All 4 Best Small-Cap Stock Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Oberweis Micro-CapOBMCX53.3834.4422.2019.56Small GrowthNo
Needham Aggressive Growth RetailNEAGX37.5444.1822.3717.95Small GrowthNo
Congress Small Cap Growth InstitutionalCSMCX39.3934.3624.8917.02Small GrowthNo
Oberweis Small-Cap OpportunitiesOBSOX43.5733.4922.6116.91Small GrowthNo

Best Sector Funds

View All 8 Best Sector Funds For 2022
Mutual Fund (top award winners in best performing sectors)Symbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Fidelity Select SemiconductorsFSELX59.1955.6435.0628.35TechnologyNo
Fidelity Advisor Semiconductors IFELIX57.9155.1634.5827.99TechnologyNo
Rydex Electronics InvRYSIX38.6751.4731.9823.88TechnologyNo
Fidelity Select Construction & Hsg PortFSHOX57.5540.8024.3420.52Consumer CyclicalNo
Fidelity Select Brokerage & Invmt MgmtFSLBX40.6131.3920.1617.11FinancialNo

Best International Stock Funds

View All 173 Best International Stock Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: MSCI EAFE11.26%13.54%9.55%8.03%
Wasatch Emerging India InvestorWAINX37.5422.5621.6918.22India EquityNo
Grandeur Peak Global Opportunities InstlGPGIX21.8632.5020.4417.59World Small/Mid StockYes
American Funds New Economy AANEFX11.9223.6119.4416.97World Large-Stock GrowthNo
Artisan Global Opportunities InvARTRX13.6229.1520.7716.95World Large-Stock GrowthNo
Wasatch Global Opportunities InvestorWAGOX21.5031.9924.0716.34World Small/Mid StockNo

Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds

View All 335 Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond-1.54%4.79%3.57%2.90%
Virtus AllianzGI Convertible InstANNPX5.2827.5219.7414.43ConvertiblesNo
Franklin Convertible Securities AFISCX7.4124.8419.0614.24ConvertiblesYes
Lord Abbett Convertible ILCFYX1.1927.6018.5813.87ConvertiblesNo
Columbia Convertible Securities APACIX3.8724.6717.1613.55ConvertiblesNo
Fidelity Convertible SecuritiesFCVSX10.0526.3616.8612.73ConvertiblesNo

Best Municipal Bond Funds

View All 94 Best Municipal Bond Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal Bond1.52%4.73%4.17%3.72%No
Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond INHMRX9.898.337.767.90High Yield MuniYes
Invesco Rochester Municipal Opps AORNAX6.728.778.467.78High Yield MuniNo
Nuveen CA High Yield Municipal Bond INCHRX5.397.686.727.28Muni California LongYes
Invesco AMT-Free Municipal AOPTAX4.157.867.397.06High Yield MuniNo
MainStay MacKay High Yield Muncpl Bd IMMHIX6.366.966.806.88High Yield MuniNo

Best International Bond Funds

View All 33 Best International Bond Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond-4.71%3.59%3.36%1.77%
GMO Emerging Country Debt IIIGMCDX-1.296.555.066.82Emerging Markets BondNo
Stone Harbor Emerg Mkts Corp Dbt InstlSHCDX1.957.775.445.55Emerging Markets BondNo
Janus Henderson Developed World Bond AHFAAX-0.785.854.715.40World Bond-USD HedgedNo
Franklin Emerging Market Debt OppsFEMDX1.585.085.065.13Emerging Markets BondNo
Transamerica Emerging Markets Debt IEMTIX-3.995.284.175.06Emerging Markets BondNo

Best Index Funds

View All 3 Best Index Funds For 2022
Mutual FundSymbol1-year total return3-year average annual return5-year average annual return10-year average annual returnMorningstar CategoryClosed to New Inv
Benchmark: S&P 50028.71%26.07%18.47%16.55%
Voya Russell Large Cap Growth Idx Port IIRLNX30.6634.9526.1520.13Large GrowthNo
Praxis Growth Index IMMDEX31.9732.3624.1619.46Large GrowthNo
ProFunds Large Cap Growth InvLGPIX30.0129.7821.8516.98Large GrowthNo
Sources: IBD, Morningstar Direct

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See Which Mutual Funds Beat The S&P Over 1, 3, 5 And 10 Years (2024)

FAQs

Which Vanguard mutual fund consistently beat the S&P 500? ›

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund (VRGWX)

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund charges very low costs—check out that 0.07% annual expense ratio—and tracks some of the biggest growth stocks in the U.S. VRGWX's 10-year average annual return beats the S&P 500's return over the same period.

What is the top mutual fund in the last 10 years? ›

No. 1 on the list is the ProFunds Semiconductor UltraSector Fund, which yielded 29.21% over the past decade. In second place is the Direxion Monthly NASDAQ-100 Bull 1.75X Fund, with 28.16%. And the bronze medal goes to the Rydex NASDAQ-100 2x Strategy Fund, which yielded 26.58%.

What of stock mutual funds beat the market every year? ›

Last year, 47% of actively managed open-end mutual funds and exchange-traded funds beat their benchmarks - a marked increase over the 43% hurdle rate in 2022. Morningstar refers to the boost as a "surge." Yet active managers haven't become better at beating the market over the long term, as Morningstar acknowledges.

What mutual funds does Ramsey recommend? ›

I put my personal 401(k) and a lot of my mutual fund investing in four types of mutual funds: growth, growth and income, aggressive growth, and international. I personally spread mine in 25% of those four.

Do any mutual funds outperform the S&P 500? ›

The Needham Aggressive Growth Retail fund beat the S&P 500 index over the past one-, three-, five- and 10-year periods. Its 10-year average return was 12.78%.

What Vanguard funds does Warren Buffett recommend? ›

He owns a small bit of each in his portfolio for Berkshire, too. The two investments held in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio that Buffett recommends more than anything else are two S&P 500 index funds. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO). Image source: The Motley Fool.

Which mutual fund gives the highest return? ›

Here are 5 mutual fund schemes with highest 3-year returns along with their expense ratios: Quant Small Cap Fund(G) tops the chart with over 39% returns followed by Quant Mid Cap Fund(G), Nippon India Small Cap Fund(G), Quant Flexi Cap Fund(G) and Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund-Reg(G) in the same pecking order.

What if I invest $1,000 a month in mutual funds for 20 years? ›

If you invest Rs 1000 for 20 years , if we assume 12 % return , you would get Approx Rs 9.2 lakhs. Invested amount Rs 2.4 Lakh. Hope that helps.

Do mutual funds outperform S&P? ›

What Are the Results? Generally, when you look at mutual fund performance over the long run, you can see a trend of actively-managed funds underperforming the S&P 500 index. A common statistic is that the S&P 500 outperforms 80% of mutual funds. While this statistic is true in some years, it's not always the case.

Is there anything better than the S&P 500? ›

Key Points. The S&P 500's track record is impressive, but the Vanguard Growth ETF has outperformed it. The Vanguard Growth ETF leans heavily toward tech businesses that exhibit faster revenue and earnings gains. No matter what investments you choose, it's always smart to keep a long-term mindset.

Is the contrafund better than the S&P 500? ›

Key Morningstar Metrics for Fidelity Contrafund

The fund's roughly 13% annualized gain over the past decade beat the S&P 500 (the fund's broad-market prospectus benchmark) and ranked among the best-performing third of funds in either the large-blend or large-growth Morningstar Categories.

Do growth funds outperform the S&P 500? ›

The inherent structure of the Vanguard Growth ETF means that it should outperform the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 if large-cap growth is leading the market, which is precisely what has been happening in 2023, 2024, and for most of the last five years.

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