Mutual fund scorecard: Solid, underperforming

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

It’s been a respectable year for the 15 stock and bond mutual funds most commonly held in 401(k) plans.

Although many investors would be satisfied with a return of more than 10 percent, most of the largest U.S. stock funds underperformed the Standard and Poor’s 500 stock index, which has posted a total return of 15.26 percent year-to-date. It’s one sign that the largest funds aren’t always the best performers.

Results were solid for the two bond funds on the list. The 8.39 percent return of Pimco Total Return surpassed the 5.93 percent of its benchmark — iShares Barclays Aggregate Bond Fund, an index tracking the performance of investment grade bonds. The Vanguard Total Bond Market Index fund was just behind at 5.39 percent.

The list of top funds compiled by retirement plan rating company Brightscope Inc. consists of those that attract the most 401(k) investor cash. Brightscope monitors 50,000 plans, which represents about 90 percent of the assets held in 401(k) plans.

How much the top 15 stock and bond funds gained in value in 2010, based on data from Brightscope Inc. and Morningstar Inc.:

PIMCO Total Return (bond), 8.39 percent.

American Funds Growth Fund of America, 12.35 percent.

American Funds EuroPacific Growth, 9.30 percent.

Fidelity Contrafund, 17.29 percent.

Vanguard Institutional Index, 15.24 percent.

Vanguard 500 Index, 14.97 percent.

Fidelity Diversified International, 9.49 percent.

Fidelity Spartan 500 Index, 15.18 percent.

Dodge & Cox Stock, 13.74 percent.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index, 5.39 percent.

Vanguard Wellington, 10.79 percent.

Vanguard PRIMECAP, 13.18 percent.

Fidelity Growth Company, 21.14 percent.

Fidelity Low-Priced Stock, 20.64 percent.

Fidelity Freedom 2020, 12.72 percent. AP