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Anyone using MFS Funds?

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May 15, 2009 10:01 pm

Met with the wholesaler and spent some time looking through the funds… looks like a solid growth and income story as well as some strong international funds. 

May 16, 2009 2:36 am

nope

May 16, 2009 3:00 am

I use some of them. 

May 16, 2009 3:07 am

Not trying to be a d**k but, line up 10 same style mutual funds from 10 different managers and look at the 10 yr track record. They will all be within 2% of each other making the actual selection irrelevant. Screw the story because there is no guarantee the story will be repeated.

May 16, 2009 3:27 am

wow ron, must have been a long week... so when selecting a fund family to use you must have a dart board with mutual fund families on it and you just toss a dart... 

May 16, 2009 1:46 pm

Actually, I use their Global Total Return fund. I think they were down like 21% in 2008. Very consistent track record. I like the fund. Same style as Blackrock Global, First Eagle Global, and Capital Income Builder. Each have their own unique styles, but similar objectives and consistency of returns (though CIB has growth of income as it’s primary objective). I like to pair some of these together as core holdings, since there is not much overlap, and you get “manager” diversification.



MFS Total Return is also good, but primarily domestic (I don’t use it - I prefer the Global version - just don’t use both). Other than that, they are pretty much your good-to-above-average little-of-everything fund family. They are fine if you have to hit A-share breakpoints with one family. But I would use FT or AMF before them as a full fund family.

May 16, 2009 2:18 pm

[quote=B24]Actually, I use their Global Total Return fund. I think they were down like 21% in 2008. Very consistent track record. I like the fund. Same style as Blackrock Global, First Eagle Global, and Capital Income Builder. Each have their own unique styles, but similar objectives and consistency of returns (though CIB has growth of income as it’s primary objective). I like to pair some of these together as core holdings, since there is not much overlap, and you get “manager” diversification.



MFS Total Return is also good, but primarily domestic (I don’t use it - I prefer the Global version - just don’t use both). Other than that, they are pretty much your good-to-above-average little-of-everything fund family. They are fine if you have to hit A-share breakpoints with one family. But I would use FT or AMF before them as a full fund family.[/quote]

B24, how do you put three or four fund families in a portfolio and get away from the breakpoint/FSPEND complication?

May 16, 2009 2:21 pm

their muni funds are good if you need lower volatility

May 16, 2009 2:50 pm

[quote=Chuck]

wow ron, must have been a long week... so when selecting a fund family to use you must have a dart board with mutual fund families on it and you just toss a dart... 

[/quote]   No doubt it was an annoying week ! Well played !   What I am saying is if you take 10 fund families with good track records, for example: MFS, American, Franklin, Fidelity, Alliance, etc. and look at their same style funds you aren't going to find a huge difference. And even if there is, I would be more likely to invest in the one that has done the worst because they will all revert to mean.
May 17, 2009 7:04 pm

[quote=buyandhold]

[quote=B24]Actually, I use their Global Total Return fund. I think they were down like 21% in 2008. Very consistent track record. I like the fund. Same style as Blackrock Global, First Eagle Global, and Capital Income Builder. Each have their own unique styles, but similar objectives and consistency of returns (though CIB has growth of income as it’s primary objective). I like to pair some of these together as core holdings, since there is not much overlap, and you get “manager” diversification.



MFS Total Return is also good, but primarily domestic (I don’t use it - I prefer the Global version - just don’t use both). Other than that, they are pretty much your good-to-above-average little-of-everything fund family. They are fine if you have to hit A-share breakpoints with one family. But I would use FT or AMF before them as a full fund family.[/quote]B24, how do you put three or four fund families in a portfolio and get away from the breakpoint/FSPEND complication?[/quote]



C shares.

May 18, 2009 8:35 pm

I love MFS.  They’re advisors, in my experience have terrible customer service.  The local guy in my area is also always pumping insurance down his clients throats.  He’s been a big part of the boom in business in my office lately!  Just transfered in another one of MFS’ clients today.

May 19, 2009 10:03 pm

Does MFS have Asset Allocation funds ? If so, how are they? A few guys I know put every account under 50k in an asset allocation fund. Some guys, every account under 100k ? Thoughts ?

May 19, 2009 11:28 pm

that’s lazy but I guess they get away w/it.

May 19, 2009 11:30 pm

That is kind of how I feel. It makes sense if you don’t have account minimums and you are taking all comers.

May 19, 2009 11:40 pm

MFS has some decent asset allocation funds.

  On a side note: I put $1,000,000 of a client's money into MFS muni bond funds, and it only grossed $5,000. NOT the $10,000 I was expecting. Pissed me off.
May 20, 2009 12:34 am

Wow, that is brutal

May 20, 2009 12:44 am

Client is probably happy if you bought within the last 6 months. The fund companies seem to mess around more with bond fund commissions over equity, probably because their fees are lower on fixed. That still would suck if you checked your run and it’s 5k light. MFS is a decent shop, seemingly turned around (better the Putnam) from the Y2K blowup.

May 20, 2009 1:36 am

[quote=Ron 14]

Does MFS have Asset Allocation funds ? If so, how are they? A few guys I know put every account under 50k in an asset allocation fund. Some guys, every account under 100k ? Thoughts ?

[/quote]

I do that and I’m seeing it more and more among my peers.  Either you let the fund company do it for you, or you pick and choose among international, small cap, large cap, mid cap, bonds, aggressive bonds, corporate bonds, treasuries, real estate, commodities. I think the money manager can do it better than me.
Honestly, for most accumulating investors I would just as soon split them between the ICA and the Bond Fund of America in a risk/age appropriate way and they’d be balanced and diversified just fine.







May 21, 2009 12:26 am

BH,

Be careful about using Bond Fund as your only bond holding. It’s not well diversified (IMHO) for fixed income. In most markets, you should really have more exposure to mortgages and Treasuries (no, now is not the time to be in Treasuries). That’s why Bond Fund got hammered last year. They are more for yield than safety. Just be careful.

Also, ICA is fien for domestic. But if you are using only one equity fund, CWG&I is probably better. They go global, so where the best opprtunities are. ICA is really the choice for domestic rising dividend equities.

May 21, 2009 12:46 am
B24:

BH,
Be careful about using Bond Fund as your only bond holding. It’s not well diversified (IMHO) for fixed income. In most markets, you should really have more exposure to mortgages and Treasuries (no, now is not the time to be in Treasuries). That’s why Bond Fund got hammered last year. They are more for yield than safety. Just be careful.
Also, ICA is fien for domestic. But if you are using only one equity fund, CWG&I is probably better. They go global, so where the best opprtunities are. ICA is really the choice for domestic rising dividend equities.

  I learned this the hard way and it hurt.