When it comes to choosing a mutual fund, there's nothing better than a solid track record. After the market's swoon during the financial crisis, and its subsequent bounce back, funds with long-term results and trusted reputations are still the ones being sought out aggressively by investors who got burned by shortsighted bets during less-stressful economic times.
Using our exclusive U.S. News Score, we've compiled lists of the best long-term performers in some of the most popular fund categories. We chose funds with positive 10-year trailing returns and, for stock funds, names that beat the S&P 500 over that time frame.* Funds are ordered according to their U.S. News Scores as of the end of the first quarter. Our score is based on the ratings of some of the mutual fund industry's best-known analysts, including Morningstar, Lipper, Standard & Poor's, TheStreet, and Zacks. In the name of affordability, funds also have minimum investments of $25,000 or less.
Learn more about the U.S. News Score, our methodology, and all of your mutual fund investing options at www.usnews.com/funds.
LARGE-CAP VALUE
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| The Yacktman Fund | 2,005 | 8.9% | 8.5% | 13.6% | Above Average | 0.93% |
| Van Kampen Growth and Income | 6,883 | -2.5% | 3.4% | 4.4% | Below Average | 0.88% |
| California Investment Equity Income | 22 | -2.7% | 3.1% | 3.1% | Below Average | 0.97% |
| Amana Trust Income | 1,134 | 2.2% | 7.7% | 6.1% | Low | 1.32% |
| Valley Forge | 11 | 3.2% | 5.2% | 6.0% | Low | 1.37% |
| Forester Value | 101 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 5.6% | Low | 1.35% |
| SunAmerica Focused Dividend Strategy | 225 | 2.1% | 5.3% | 6.5% | Above Average | 0.94% |
| Prudential Jennison Equity Income | 222 | -0.7% | 4.8% | 3.5% | Above Average | 2.15% |
| Auxier Focus | 108 | 1.1% | 4.4% | 6.2% | Low | 1.35% |
| Homestead Value | 524 | -5.0% | 2.9% | 5.6% | Average | 0.80% |
See more large-value funds
LARGE-CAP GROWTH
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| The Jensen Portfolio | 2,540 | 1.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | Low | 0.86% |
| Franklin Growth | 3,541 | 0.3% | 5.2% | 2.3% | Below Average | 1.00% |
| Lou Holland Growth | 52 | 1.2% | 2.4% | 0.5% | Below Average | 1.35% |
| Vanguard Capital Opportunity | 8,875 | 2.0% | 7.0% | 3.6% | Above Average | 0.50% |
| Prudential Jennison 20/20 Focus | 2,598 | 0.7% | 7.8% | 4.3% | Average | 1.20% |
| Fidelity Contrafund | 66,475 | -0.2% | 5.4% | 3.0% | Low | 1.01% |
| FMI Provident Trust Strategy | 121 | 2.2% | 6.7% | 0.9% | Low | 1.00% |
| Madison Mosaic Investors | 41 | -1.6% | 1.7% | 2.5% | Below Average | 1.00% |
| Buffalo Large Cap | 37 | -0.5% | 3.7% | 0.9% | Above Average | 1.09% |
| American Funds AMCAP | 19,648 | -1.1% | 3.3% | 2.4% | Below Average | 0.71% |
John Bajorek of TX @ Sep 02, 2010 17:59:39 PM
carol of MA @ Aug 22, 2010 19:55:17 PM
William Ross of WA @ Aug 22, 2010 18:50:05 PM