| Scorecard |
|---|
|
4 / 5 Stars
|
|
Lipper
5
5
4
5
2
|
|
Zacks Investment Research
1
(Strong Buy)
|
|
Standard & Poor's
4 / 5 Stars
|
|
TheStreet.com
B+
(Buy)
|
#10 in Mid-Cap Blend
U.S. News evaluated 145 Mid-Cap Blend Funds. Our list highlights the top-rated funds for long-term investors based on the ratings of leading fund industry researchers.
Performance
The fund has returned 18.71 percent over the past year, 13.47 percent over the past three years, and 8.05 percent over the past five years.
| Trailing Returns | Updated 04.30.2013 |
|---|---|
| Year to date | 14.1% |
| 1 Year | 18.7% |
| 3 Years (Annualized) | 13.5% |
| 5 Years (Annualized) | 8.1% |
| 10 Years (Annualized) | N/A |
Summary
The Northern Mid Cap Index Fund gives investors passive exposure to a popular segment of the market.
As of May 03, 2013, the fund has assets totaling almost $1.00 billion invested in 403 different holdings. Its portfolio consists of mid-cap stocks.
This fund uses a passive, or indexing, strategy to mirror the returns of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. This index is comprised of 400 companies whose market capitalizations, at the moment, range from $850 million to $3.8 billion. In 2009 and 2010, mid-caps underwent a heated rally, outperforming the broader market as the economy showed signs of improvement. This fund was no exception, as it gained upward of 37 percent in 2009 and 26 percent in 2010, has also been a good one for the fund. So far in 2011, the rally has continued, as of the end of the first quarter. The fund has returned 18.71 percent over the past year and 13.47 percent over the past three years.
The fund launched in 2005. It struggled a bit out of the gate, but has since put together a respectable track record. As of March, the fund's trailing five-year returns beat those of the S&P 500 by nearly 3 percentage points. Over time, the fund's low expense ratio has been a major contributor to performance. The fund has returned 8.05 percent over the past five years.
Investment Strategy
The fund invests in the companies that comprise the S&P MidCap 400 Index. By market cap, these companies represent upward of 7 percent of the U.S. stock market. Currently, companies in the index have market caps that range from $850 million to $3.8 billion. The fund uses passive management to replicate the returns of the index.
Role in Portfolio
This fund could lend support to a well-balanced portfolio.
Management
Chad Rakvin and Brent Reeder manage the fund.
