Fidelity Small Cap America
Manager Steve MacMillan has been at the helm of this fund for just over three years and the results have been great. For the three years ending June 30, it has gained an annualized 24.3%, handily outpacing the 18.5% return of the Russell 2000. While this is impressive, he has also done a stellar job managing the volatility, keeping it well below the category average. When it comes to protecting...
Read MoreFranklin U.S. Rising Dividends Fund
What I like most about this fund is its ability to protect capital in down markets. While most other U.S. equity funds tend to fall more than the S&P 500, this gem has only fallen between 60% and 70% of the broader market. That’s because of its focus on companies that have a history of consistent and substantial dividend increases over time. Since they offer a relatively high dividend yield,...
Read MoreFidelity Canadian Large Cap Fund
For the longest time this has been one of the strongest Canadian focused equity funds around. So far this year it has lagged considerably, gaining 6.5%, which is about half what the S&P/TSX Composite Index earned. The reason is the fund’s lack of exposure to materials, a significant under-weight in energy, and no bank holdings. Unfortunately for investors, these were the best performing...
Read MoreAGF Monthly High Income
This was the strongest performing balanced fund on my recommended list in the second quarter due to its overweight position in equities. The managers are becoming increasingly concerned about the health of the equity markets, causing them to pare back their exposure over the quarter. The equity weight was cut from 63% to 58%, while the fixed income increased from 28% to 34%. While it is still...
Read MoreChou Associates Fund
I’m starting to get a bit concerned about this concentrated value fund managed by Francis Chou. After stellar years in 2012 and 2013 performance appears to be slowing. It struggled in the second quarter largely the result of its holdings in three stocks; Resolute Forest Products, Sears Holdings, and MBIA Inc. Combined, these three names make up 24% of the fund. This highlights the dangers of a...
Read MoreRenaissance Global Markets Fund
Fund Company CIBC Asset Management Fund Type Global Equity Rating D Style Blend Risk Level Medium Load Status Optional RRSP/RRIF Suitability Good TFSA Suitability Good Manager David Winters since October 2006 MER 2.62% Code ATL 1029 – Front End Units ATL 1873 – DSC Units Minimum Investment $500 Analysis: Despite dramatically underperforming the MSCI World Index in 2012 and 2013, I still believe...
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