Kiplinger's Mutual Fund Guide

I was looking through Kiplinger's 2005 Mutual Funds (which is pretty good, by-the-way). Their guide is one of the few to actually have returns for 20 years. I wish they went back even further. Of course most mutual funds weren't even in business back then.

Here's a summary of what the best performing (based on average annual total return) mutual funds were over the last 20 years: Some of the funds may have front-end sales loads.

DISCLAIMER: These are NOT recommendations. Invest at your own risk.

Large-company growth

Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX) 16.2%

Midsize-company growth

Meridian Growth (MERDX) 14.7%

Small-company Growth

Columbia Acorn Z (ACRNX) 16.6% - closed to new investors but other classes available

Balanced funds

Dodge & Cox Balanced (DODBX) 13.9% - closed to new investors
Vanguard Wellington Inv. (VWELX) 12.4%

Large-company value

Dodge & Cox Stock (DODGX) 16.1% - closed to new investors
Davis New York Venture A (NYVTX) 15.6%

Midsize-company value

CGM Capital Development (LOMCX) 15.2% - closed to new investors
Mutual Beacon Z (Franklin) (BEGRX) 14.5% - closed to new investors but other classes available

Small-company value

FPA Capital (FPPTX) 17.9% - closed to new investors
Heartland Value (HRTVX) 15.9% - closed to new investors
Tamarack Enterprise S (TETSX) 14.5%

International small companies

N/A

International stocks - diversified

American EuroPacific Growth A (AEPGX) 13.8%

Long-term corporate bonds

AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond A (CBFAX) 9.9%

Short-term corporate bonds

FPA New Income (FPNIX) 9.2%

High-yield corporate bonds

Fidelity Capital & Income (FAGIX) 10.3%

Long-term municipal bonds

Smith Barney Managed Munis A (SHMMX) 8.3%