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% |
See more large growth funds
FOREIGN LARGE-CAP BLEND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| Sextant International | 116 | 1.8% | 8.7% | 4.0% | Below Average | 1.13% |
| Fidelity Canada | 3,967 | 3.4% | 10.1% | 10.6% | High | 1.13% |
| Ivy International Core Equity | 716 | -1.0% | 9.0% | 4.6% | Average | 1.64% |
| Vanguard International Growth | 16,325 | -3.4% | 6.2% | 2.1% | Above Average | 0.53% |
| Manning & Napier World Opportunities | 5,694 | -2.4% | 7.8% | 7.4% | Average | 1.17% |
| Scout International | 5,695 | -0.9% | 7.7% | 4.6% | Low | 1.02% |
| Thornburg International Value | 18,206 | -1.2% | 8.0% | 6.2% | Low | 1.34% |
| American Funds EuroPacific Growth | 95,409 | -1.2% | 7.9% | 3.3% | Below Average | 0.80% |
| Vanguard Total International Stock Index | 27,194 | -4.8% | 5.6% | 2.5% | Above Average | 0.27% |
| Vanguard Tax-Managed International | 6,178 | -6.7% | 4.0% | 1.4% | Average | 0.20% |
See more foreign large-cap blend funds
SMALL-CAP BLEND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| Royce Micro-Cap | 1,182 | -0.5% | 7.9% | 10.7% | Above Average | 1.54% |
| Fidelity Small-Cap Stock | 4,009 | 1.4% | 6.3% | 6.9% | Above Average | 0.95% |
| T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Stock | 5,194 | -1.1% | 4.7% | 6.4% | Below Average | 0.95% |
| Royce Heritage | 233 | 0.2% | 8.1% | 8.5% | Above Average | 1.42% |
| First Focus Small Company | 65 | 1.2% | 6.3% | 9.2% | Low | 1.43% |
| Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity | 82 | -0.9% | 4.2% | 7.5% | Below Average | 1.51% |
| Lord Abbett Small-Cap Value | 3,548 | 2.0% | 8.5% | 12.0% | Below Average | 1.24% |
| Royce Pennsylvania Mutual | 5,460 | -2.0% | 4.8% | 10.1% | Below Average | 0.92% |
| FMI Focus | 434 | 2.3% | 6.6% | 4.8% | Above Average | 1.40% |
| Neuberger Berman Genesis | 10,009 | 1.1% | 5.7% | 10.8% | Low | 1.08% |
MID-CAP BLEND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| The Westport Fund | 293 | 2.3% | 6.6% | 6.8% | Below Average | 1.31% |
| Fidelity Low-Priced Stock | 30,336 | -1.1% | 5.1% | 11.4% | Below Average | 0.98% |
| Aston/Optimum Mid Cap | 1,573 | 3.9% | 7.6% | 10.2% | High | 1.20% |
| FMI Common Stock | 941 | 2.5% | 7.8% | 10.4% | Below Average | 1.26% |
| Westport Select Cap | 866 | -0.1% | 5.2% | 6.2% | Below Average | 1.31% |
| Ariel Appreciation | 1,566 | 0.0% | 3.7% | 8.3% | Average | 1.25% |
| Invesco Mid Cap Core Equity | 2,575 | 1.4% | 5.3% | 5.8% | Low | 1.24% |
| Dreyfus Mid-Cap Value | 1,314 | 1.6% | 6.4% | 8.0% | High | 1.22% |
| California Investment S&P Mid-Cap Index | 127 | -1.5% | 4.5% | 5.7% | Average | 0.58% |
| Dreyfus Mid-Cap Index | 2,101 | -1.2% | 4.8% | 5.6% | Average | 0.50% |
See more mid-cap blend funds
LARGE-CAP BLEND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| Fairholme | 14,383 | 6.5% | 10.1% | 14.1% | Above Average | 1.00% |
| Parnassus Equity Income | 2,933 | 4.3% | 7.0% | 6.1% | Low | 0.99% |
| Madison Mosaic Disciplined Equity | 44 | -0.5% | 3.1% | 3.3% | Low | 0.96% |
| Oakmark Fund | 3,511 | 0.0% | 3.6% | 7.3% | Above Average | 1.23% |
| Payson Total Return | 38 | -1.0% | 2.5% | 3.0% | Below Average | 1.77% |
| Van Kampen Exchange | 57 | 1.9% | 5.2% | 1.0% | Above Average | 0.52% |
| Mairs & Power Growth | 2,027 | -0.7% | 3.2% | 7.7% | Below Average | 0.71% |
| Manning & Napier Tax Managed | 38 | -1.3% | 5.4% | 4.7% | Average | 1.20% |
| Croft Value | 238 | -1.2% | 5.5% | 4.6% | High | 1.46% |
| Henssler Equity | 152 | -1.0% | 2.6% | 2.1% | Below Average | 1.29% |
See more large-cap blend funds
DIVERSIFIED EMERGING MARKETS
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| Delaware Emerging Markets | 865 | 7.1% | 14.8% | 13.9% | Low | 1.91% |
| JPMorgan Emerging Markets Equity | 1,038 | 5.0% | 15.1% | 10.0% | Below Average | 1.85% |
| Oppenheimer Developing Markets | 12,436 | 8.5% | 17.8% | 14.3% | Below Average | 1.43% |
| Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index | 37,440 | 5.0% | 14.8% | 10.4% | Average | 0.40% |
| Lazard Emerging Markets Equity | 13,727 | 6.3% | 16.9% | 12.0% | Average | 1.55% |
| RS Emerging Markets | 1,704 | 7.2% | 18.2% | 11.4% | Above Average | 1.61% |
| Bernstein Emerging Markets | 2,054 | 2.7% | 12.8% | 13.3% | Average | 1.48% |
| Dreyfus Emerging Markets | 990 | 5.8% | 14.1% | 12.2% | Low | 2.00% |
| Invesco Developing Markets | 1,375 | 4.4% | 17.7% | 10.5% | Average | 1.66% |
| Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth | 592 | 3.5% | 17.6% | 10.5% | Average | 1.75% |
See more diversified emerging markets funds
INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| American Century Tax-Free Bond | 1,811 | 4.5% | 4.3% | 4.9% | Below Average | 0.49% |
| Marshall Intermediate Tax-Free | 282 | 6.0% | 4.8% | 5.0% | Below Average | 0.55% |
| Invesco Tax-Free Intermediate | 1,745 | 5.5% | 4.3% | 4.7% | Low | 0.44% |
| Legg Mason WA Intermediate-Term Muni | 1,911 | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.7% | Low | 0.68% |
| T. Rowe Price Summit Municipal Intermediate | 1,275 | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.0% | Below Average | 0.50% |
| Schwab Tax-Free Bond | 360 | 4.7% | 4.3% | 5.5% | Average | 0.49% |
| Dreyfus/Standish Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond | 107 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.7% | Below Average | 0.45% |
| USAA Tax-Exempt Intermediate-Term | 2,853 | 3.9% | 4.1% | 5.0% | Above Average | 0.45% |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt | 28,012 | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.9% | Average | 0.20% |
| Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt | 6,550 | 3.3% | 4.1% | 5.2% | High | 0.20% |
SHORT-TERM BOND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| Lord Abbett Short-Duration Income | 6,375 | 7.3% | 5.6% | 5.2% | Above Average | 0.68% |
| Thompson Plumb Bond | 244 | 9.4% | 7.2% | 7.0% | High | 0.75% |
| Weitz Short-Intermediate Income | 671 | 6.5% | 5.3% | 5.7% | Average | 0.69% |
| MassMutual Premier Short-Duration Bond | 411 | 6.0% | 5.3% | 5.2% | Average | 0.56% |
| Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income | 1,758 | 7.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | Average | 0.84% |
| USAA Short-Term Bond | 1,512 | 5.6% | 5.1% | 4.1% | Average | 0.72% |
| Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade | 35,812 | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | Average | 0.21% |
| Homestead Short-Term Bond | 265 | 5.7% | 5.1% | 4.8% | Average | 0.80% |
| T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond | 4,679 | 5.1% | 4.6% | 4.9% | Below Average | 0.55% |
| Virtus Multi-Sector Short-Term Bond | 2,636 | 5.5% | 5.2% | 6.0% | High | 1.12% |
See more short-term bonds
INTERMEDIATE-TERM BOND
| Fund Name | Total Net Assets ($ mil.) | 3-year return | 5-year return | 10-year return | Morningstar Risk Rating | Expense Ratio |
| TCW Total Return Bond | 5,556 | 8.9% | 7.5% | 7.7% | Below Average | 0.44% |
| TCW Core Fixed Income | 230 | 9.2% | 6.9% | 6.9% | Average | 0.44% |
| Delaware Diversified Income | 6,739 | 9.0% | 7.6% | 9.2% | Above Average | 0.97% |
| USAA Income | 2,464 | 6.5% | 5.6% | 6.3% | Above Average | 0.65% |
| Harbor Bond | 6,816 | 8.9% | 7.0% | 7.4% | Average | 0.57% |
| Managers PIMCO Bond | 1,229 | 8.7% | 6.9% | 7.4% | Above Average | 0.58% |
| Dodge & Cox Income | 20,653 | 6.9% | 6.0% | 6.8% | Average | 0.43% |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment Grade | 14,245 | 6.0% | 5.4% | 6.5% | Above Average | 0.21% |
| T. Rowe Price New Income | 10,477 | 6.9% | 5.9% | 6.3% | Average | 0.67% |
| Earnest Partners Fixed Income | 17 | 6.8% | 5.9% | 6.2% | Average | 0.40% |
See more intermediate-term bonds
* Trailing return, total net assets, expense ratio, and Morningstar Risk Rating data are as of the end of the first quarter. Returns are annualized. Mutual funds data and categories provided by Morningstar.
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