Mutual Fund Talk

Fund Exodus: The Biggest Fund Outflow in 2006

Morningstar named the 20 funds with the most money outflow in 2006 (by end of July). Fidelity Magellan led the pack with $6.3M in redemption. Other named funds are:

American Century Ultra (TWCUX)
American Funds Washington Mutual (AWSHX)
Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)
Fidelity Low-Priced Stock (FLPSX)
Templeton Foreign (TEMFX)
Fidelity Growth & Income (FGRIX)
AIM Constellation (CSTGX)
Fidelity Blue Chip Growth (FBGRX)
Fidelity (FFIDX)
American Funds Invstmt Co of Amer (AIVSX)
Fidelity Puritan (FPURX)
PIMCO Low Duration (PTLDX)
Putnam Fund for Growth & Income (PGRWX)
Morgan Stanley Inst International Eq (MSIQX)
Fidelity Equity-Income (FEQIX)
Fidelity Dividend Growth (FDGFX)
Putnam Voyager (PVOYX)
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation (OPTFX)
Vanguard GNMA (VFIIX)

Fidelity Magellan (FMAGX)

Net Outflows: $6.3 billion

It's easy to see why investors are redeeming their shares in this fund. Its huge asset base and poor stock selection have caused it to beat the index in only two of the past six years. Moreover, Harry Lange's early lead versus the index this year turned quickly into a deficit when the markets pounded tech and Japanese stocks in the second quarter. For the year to date, the fund is up just 0.8%, while the S&P has returned 5%. On the plus side, Lange's tenure here has been too brief to draw any conclusions, and the fund's outflows have the fund down to a more manageable $44 billion. So, I'm more bullish on this fund than I have been in a while, but I still wouldn't buy.