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? The sixth annual IBD Best Mutual Funds 2021 Awards report can make your search for a fund a lot easier.
Each award-winning fund has outperformed its benchmark for the past one, three, five and 10 years. Among funds at least 10 years old, that's a feat only 25% of funds can claim.
IBD compared the performance of 3,525 funds that have been around for at least 10 years and found that 877 beat their benchmark index in those four periods. Funds in 12 categories qualified, including growth stock mutual funds, small-cap funds, bond funds and index funds. No value funds met the performance criteria.
For tips on using these lists and to learn more about the funds, read our IBD Best Mutual Funds 2021 Awards special report. And read our monthly ETF and Mutual Funds Special Report for updates throughout the year.
This article was originally published on March 26, 2021, and was updated on November 16, 2021.
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. Click on the category name to see all the Best Mutual Funds Awards winners.
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Baron Partners Retail |
BPTRX |
148.52 |
52.28 |
37.04 |
23.71 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Insight I |
CPODX |
116.57 |
48.11 |
35.94 |
23.51 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I |
MSEQX |
115.57 |
41.92 |
32.17 |
23.12 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I |
PXSGX |
43.28 |
29.91 |
30.13 |
22.11 |
Small Growth |
Yes |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A |
SAGAX |
119.10 |
49.17 |
34.15 |
21.92 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Baron Partners Retail |
BPTRX |
148.52 |
52.28 |
37.04 |
23.71 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Insight I |
CPODX |
116.57 |
48.11 |
35.94 |
23.51 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I |
MSEQX |
115.57 |
41.92 |
32.17 |
23.12 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I |
PXSGX |
43.28 |
29.91 |
30.13 |
22.11 |
Small Growth |
Yes |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A |
SAGAX |
119.10 |
49.17 |
34.15 |
21.92 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| PIMCO StocksPLUS Absolute Return Instl |
PSPTX |
18.82 |
14.24 |
16.22 |
14.95 |
Large Blend |
No |
| GMO Quality IV |
GQEFX |
18.51 |
16.22 |
17.34 |
14.86 |
Large Blend |
No |
| CIBC Atlas Disciplined Equity Instl |
AWEIX |
19.28 |
16.30 |
15.84 |
14.47 |
Large Blend |
No |
| Johnson Enhanced Return |
JENHX |
19.38 |
14.49 |
15.51 |
14.36 |
Large Blend |
No |
| JPMorgan US Equity L |
JMUEX |
26.54 |
16.29 |
16.20 |
14.35 |
Large Blend |
Yes |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark:S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Morgan Stanley Insight I |
CPODX |
116.57 |
48.11 |
35.94 |
23.51 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Growth I |
MSEQX |
115.57 |
41.92 |
32.17 |
23.12 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Gr Stk A |
SAGAX |
119.10 |
49.17 |
34.15 |
21.92 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Transamerica Capital Growth A |
IALAX |
111.61 |
40.01 |
30.80 |
21.88 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Fidelity Advisor Growth Opps M |
FAGOX |
68.19 |
38.89 |
29.12 |
21.29 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Baron Partners Retail |
BPTRX |
148.52 |
52.28 |
37.04 |
23.71 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| T. Rowe Price New Horizons |
PRNHX |
57.72 |
31.23 |
26.21 |
20.70 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
Yes |
| Delaware Smid Cap Growth A |
DFCIX |
93.92 |
37.99 |
27.71 |
20.16 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Discovery I |
MPEGX |
142.56 |
56.09 |
35.63 |
19.97 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Eventide Gilead N |
ETGLX |
55.11 |
26.47 |
22.08 |
18.94 |
Mid-Cap Growth |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Virtus KAR Small-Cap Growth I |
PXSGX |
43.28 |
29.91 |
30.13 |
22.11 |
Small Growth |
Yes |
| Lord Abbett Micro Cap Growth I |
LMIYX |
79.62 |
35.46 |
28.55 |
20.20 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Inception I |
MSSGX |
150.57 |
51.04 |
33.14 |
19.42 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Wasatch Ultra Growth |
WAMCX |
71.38 |
37.79 |
30.04 |
19.03 |
Small Growth |
Yes |
| Artisan Small Cap Investor |
ARTSX |
61.00 |
32.14 |
25.29 |
18.66 |
Small Growth |
No |
| Mutual funds |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| T. Rowe Price Global Technology |
PRGTX |
75.63 |
28.70 |
27.30 |
23.47 |
US Fund Technology |
No |
| Fidelity Select Retailing |
FSRPX |
44.33 |
24.02 |
20.17 |
19.96 |
US Fund Consumer Cyclical |
No |
| T. Rowe Price Comm & Tech Investor |
PRMTX |
53.66 |
26.42 |
23.63 |
19.25 |
US Fund Communications |
No |
| Fidelity Select Medical Tech and Devcs |
FSMEX |
30.04 |
25.10 |
21.91 |
19.15 |
US Fund Health |
No |
| Baron Real Estate Institutional |
BREIX |
44.28 |
17.56 |
15.97 |
15.72 |
US Fund Real Estate |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: MSCI EAFE |
|
7.82 |
4.28 |
7.45 |
5.51 |
|
|
| Morgan Stanley Inst Global Advtg I |
MIGIX |
94.98 |
34.19 |
27.94 |
19.09 |
World Large Stock |
No |
| Morgan Stanley Inst Global Opp I |
MGGIX |
55.47 |
25.71 |
24.57 |
18.97 |
World Large Stock |
Yes |
| T. Rowe Price Global Stock |
PRGSX |
52.25 |
25.10 |
22.53 |
15.69 |
World Large Stock |
No |
| Seven Canyons World Innovators Investor |
WAGTX |
67.92 |
21.93 |
19.78 |
15.33 |
Foreign Small/Mid Growth |
No |
| Sands Capital Global Growth Inst |
SCMGX |
49.56 |
23.72 |
21.41 |
15.15 |
World Large Stock |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: BBgBarc US Agg Bond |
|
7.51 |
5.34 |
4.44 |
3.84 |
|
|
| Virtus AllianzGI Convertible Institutional |
ANNPX |
55.82 |
26.60 |
19.87 |
13.58 |
Convertibles |
No |
| Franklin Convertible Securities A |
FISCX |
46.22 |
23.60 |
19.13 |
12.78 |
Convertibles |
Yes |
| Lord Abbett Convertible I |
LCFYX |
64.31 |
25.66 |
21.17 |
12.69 |
Convertibles |
No |
| Columbia Convertible Securities A |
PACIX |
47.88 |
22.69 |
18.77 |
12.54 |
Convertibles |
No |
| PIMCO Extended Duration Instl |
PEDIX |
24.73 |
12.41 |
10.45 |
11.21 |
Long Government |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: BBgBarc Municipal |
|
5.21 |
4.64 |
3.91 |
4.63 |
|
|
| Invesco Rochester Municipal Opps A |
ORNAX |
5.84 |
9.59 |
8.11 |
8.27 |
High Yield Muni |
No |
| Invesco AMT-Free Municipal A |
OPTAX |
7.51 |
8.98 |
7.05 |
8.25 |
High Yield Muni |
No |
| Nuveen CA High Yield Municipal Bond I |
NCHRX |
5.96 |
5.69 |
5.47 |
8.25 |
Muni California Long |
No |
| MainStay MacKay High Yield Muncpl Bd I |
MMHIX |
5.43 |
6.27 |
5.82 |
7.45 |
High Yield Muni |
No |
| Invesco California Mncpl A |
OPCAX |
6.02 |
7.55 |
6.09 |
7.28 |
Muni California Long |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: BBgBarc Global Aggregate |
|
9.20 |
4.85 |
4.79 |
2.83 |
|
|
| PGIM Global Total Return A |
GTRAX |
9.75 |
6.47 |
6.99 |
4.96 |
World Bond |
No |
| BrandywineGLOBAL Global Opp Bond IS |
GOBSX |
12.66 |
5.38 |
6.75 |
4.68 |
World Bond |
No |
| Federated Hermes Intl Bond Strategy |
FIBPX |
10.94 |
5.71 |
6.40 |
4.43 |
World Bond |
No |
| AMG GW&K High Income N |
MGGBX |
12.16 |
4.99 |
6.04 |
3.74 |
World Bond |
No |
| JHancock Opportunistic Fixed Inc. 1 |
JIGDX |
11.65 |
5.42 |
5.64 |
3.70 |
World Bond |
No |
| Mutual fund |
Symbol |
1-year total return (%) |
3-year average annual return (%) |
5-year average annual return (%) |
10-year average annual return (%) |
Morningstar category |
Closed to new inv |
| Benchmark: S&P 500 |
|
18.40 |
14.18 |
15.22 |
13.88 |
|
|
| Shelton Nasdaq-100 Index Direct |
NASDX |
48.59 |
26.60 |
23.17 |
20.01 |
Large Growth |
No |
| VALIC Company I NASDAQ-100 Index |
VCNIX |
47.94 |
26.80 |
23.55 |
19.96 |
Large Growth |
No |
| USAA NASDAQ-100 Index |
USNQX |
48.30 |
27.04 |
23.68 |
19.94 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Rydex NASDAQ-100 Inv |
RYOCX |
46.78 |
25.80 |
22.58 |
19.09 |
Large Growth |
No |
| Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index |
FNCMX |
44.58 |
24.13 |
21.88 |
18.25 |
Large Growth |
No |
Sources: IBD, Morningstar Direct
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