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MTR3Z - MFS Total Return A

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Your Mutual Fund

MFS Total Return A (MTR3Z)
Expense Ratio: 0.77%
Expected Lifetime Fees: $23,484.12


The MFS Total Return A fund (MTR3Z) is a Moderate Allocation fund started on 10/6/1970 and has $5.70 billion in assets under management. The current manager has been running MFS Total Return A since 11/21/2005. The fund is rated by Morningstar. In addition to trading fees and broker commissions, this fund has 12b-1 fees of 0.25%

MarketRiders Prefers The Following ETF

iShares S&P Moderate Allocation (AOM)
Expense Ratio: 0.11%
Expected Lifetime Fees: $3,595.26


The iShares S&P Moderate Allocation (AOM) is an Exchange Traded Fund. It is a "basket" of securities that index the Moderate Allocation investment strategy and is an alternative to a Moderate Allocation mutual fund. Fees are very low compared to a comparable mutual fund like MFS Total Return A because computers automatically manage the stocks.



The Following Moderate Allocation Funds Have Lower Fees Than MFS Total Return A (MTR3Z). Why are these metrics important?
Mutual Fund Name Ticker Symbol Turnover Assets (M) Annual Fees
AllianceBern Balance Wealth Strat Adv ABWYX 4.0% 1,500 0.72%
American Beacon Balanced AMR AABNX 47.0% 974 0.34%
American Beacon Balanced Fund Class Y ACBYX 47.0% 974 0.70%
American Beacon Balanced Instl AADBX 47.0% 974 0.59%
American Century Balanced Instl ABINX 87.0% 588 0.70%
American Funds American Balanced A ABALX 47.0% 51,300 0.62%
American Funds American Balanced F-1 BALFX 47.0% 51,300 0.63%
American Funds American Balanced F-2 AMBFX 47.0% 51,300 0.40%
American Funds American Balanced R4 RLBEX 47.0% 51,300 0.65%
American Funds American Balanced R5 RLBFX 47.0% 51,300 0.35%
American Funds American Balanced R6 RLBGX 47.0% 51,300 0.30%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer A AMECX 38.0% 69,200 0.58%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer F-1 IFAFX 38.0% 69,200 0.64%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer F-2 AMEFX 38.0% 69,200 0.40%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer R4 RIDEX 38.0% 69,200 0.66%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer R5 RIDFX 38.0% 69,200 0.36%
American Funds Inc Fund of Amer R6 RIDGX 38.0% 69,200 0.31%
BlackRock Balanced Capital Instl MACPX 94.0% 912 0.76%
Dodge & Cox Balanced DOB1Z 19.0% 11,800 0.53%
Dodge & Cox Balanced DODBX 19.0% 11,800 0.53%
Fidelity Advisor Balanced I FAIOX 146.0% 1,100 0.71%
Fidelity Asset Manager 50% FASMX 14.0% 6,600 0.71%
Fidelity Balanced FBALX 193.0% 19,900 0.61%
Fidelity Puritan FPURX 154.0% 18,800 0.60%
GE Instl Strategic Investment Inv GSIVX 187.0% 690 0.37%
GE Instl Strategic Investment Svc GSRVX 187.0% 690 0.62%
Hartford Balanced Y IHAYX 43.0% 572 0.74%
Janus Balanced Fund Class I JBALX 94.0% 8,300 0.63%
MFS Total Return I MTRIX 24.0% 5,700 0.52%
MFS Total Return R4 MSFJX 24.0% 5,700 0.52%
Nationwide Inv Dest Mod A NADMX 14.3% 1,500 0.73%
Schwab Balanced SWOBX 53.0% 102 0.64%
Schwab MarketTrack Balanced Investor SWBGX 25.0% 414 0.69%
T. Rowe Price Balanced RPBAX 57.9% 3,100 0.66%
T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation PRWCX 81.3% 12,300 0.72%
T. Rowe Price Personal Strat Balanced TRPBX 55.1% 1,500 0.76%
TIAA-CREF Managed Allc Inst TIMIX 10.0% 562 0.42%
TIAA-CREF Managed Allc Retail TIMRX 10.0% 562 0.67%
UBS US Allocation Y PWTYX 157.0% 276 0.73%
Vanguard Balanced Index Instl VBAIX 67.0% 15,900 0.08%
Vanguard Balanced Index Inv VBINX 67.0% 15,900 0.24%
Vanguard Balanced Index Signal VBASX 67.0% 15,900 0.10%
Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Gr Inv VSMGX 32.0% 8,200 0.16%
Vanguard STAR Inv VGSTX 24.0% 14,000 0.34%
Vanguard Wellington Adm VWENX 38.0% 59,300 0.19%
Vanguard Wellington Inv VWELX 38.0% 59,300 0.27%



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Why Are These Metrics Important?


Turnover
Turnover represents how much of a mutual fund's holdings are changed over the course of a year through buying and selling. Active mutual funds have an average turnover rate of about 85%, meaning that funds are turning over nearly all of their holdings every year. A high turnover means you could make lower returns because: 1) buying and selling stocks costs money through commissions and spreads and 2) the fund will distribute yearly capital gains which increases your taxes. Look for funds with turnover rates below 50%. For comparison, ETF turnover rates average around 10% or lower.

Assets
Generally, smaller funds do better than larger ones. The more assets in a mutual fund, the lower the chance that it will beat its index. Managers outperform an index by choosing stocks that are undervalued. In order to find these undervalued stocks, the manager has to know more than his competitors to develop an "edge." There are only a finite number of stocks a mutual fund manager can reasonably analyze and actively track to gain such a competitive edge. When the fund has more assets, the manager must analyze large companies because he needs to take larger positions. Large companies are more efficiently priced in the market and it becomes increasingly difficult to get an edge.