Here's a look at the Appleseed Fund, one of the strongest performers in the mid-cap value stock mutual fund category over the latest 5-year period, according to Morningstar. Just two of the hundreds of funds in its peer group have topped its nearly 7 percent average annualized return, in part because of Appleseed's strong results in 2008 and 2009. However, the fund has lagged most of its peers more recently.
TICKER: APPLX
STOCK INVESTMENT CATEGORY: Mid-Cap Value
YEAR-TO-DATE RETURN: 12.3 percent
S&P 500 TOTAL RETURN: 18.2 percent
12-MONTH RETURN: 10.1 percent
S&P 500: 24.4 percent
FUND ASSETS: $237 million
EXPENSE RATIO: 1.24 percent
MINIMUM INITIAL INVESTMENT: $2,500
MANAGERS: Bill Pekin; Rick Singer; Adam Strauss; Joshua Strauss; Ronald Strauss
FUND LAUNCH DATE: December 2006
RECENT TOP 10 HOLDINGS
— Tesco PLC (7.9 percent of portfolio)
— Sprott Physical Gold Trust (7.3 percent)
— Central Gold-Trust (5.5 percent)
— Sealed Air Corp. (4.6 percent)
— Avon Products (4.47 percent)
— SK Telecom (4.46 percent
— Nabors Industries (4.3 percent)
— Mabuchi Motor (3.9 percent)
— Willis Group Holdings (3.7 percent)
— Staples Inc. (3.6 percent)
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Note: Data through Oct 17; portfolio holdings as of Aug. 31
Source: Morningstar
