[Editor’s note: “7 Fantastic Fidelity Funds for a Range of Investors” was previously published in June 2019. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.]
Fidelity is a giant in the arena of actively managed mutual funds, but in recent years, the company has asserted itself in the index funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) industries, becoming a credible challenger on the low-cost front.
These days, Fidelity offers a quartet of zero-fee index funds as well as the least expensive sector funds in the ETF industry. Plus, Fidelity offers a slew of other inexpensive ETFs as well as an expansive lineup of ETFs that can be traded on a commission-free basis. Investors opting for mutual funds will enjoy knowing that Fidelity funds do not have investment minimums.
The good news is Fidelity has something for everyone, whether you’re a cost-conscious investor or one that wants the benefits of active management on your side.
Here are some of the best Fidelity funds to consider.
Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund (FLPSX)
Expense ratio: 0.62% per year, or $62 on a $10,000 investment.
The Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund (MUTF:FLPSX) is not excessively expensive in the world of actively managed equity mutual funds, but there are plenty of ETFs and index funds that are cheaper. That said, FLPSX is an example of a fund that merits its above-average fee.
Low-priced stocks have a tendency to seduce investors simply because of those small price tags, but not all low-priced stocks are good companies. This Fidelity fund offers investors the benefit of active management in a corner of the equity market with high risk/reward characteristics. Said another way, many investors interested in low price tag stocks should consider this Fidelity fund over picking individual names.
This Fidelity fund is nearly 30 years old and is considered a mid-cap value fund, though some of its holdings are large caps and not all have low price tags. FLPSX devotes over 33% of its weight to consumer goods and services stocks, while the financial services and technology sectors combine for over 26% of the Fidelity fund’s weight.
Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (FZROX)
Expense ratio: 0%
The Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (MUTF:FZROX) shows the power of an expense ratio of 0%. This Fidelity fund debuted in August 2018 and today has $3.78 billion in assets under management. FZROX tracks the Fidelity U.S. Total Investable Market Index.
FZROX is a basic bet on domestic equities and can be used as a core building block in portfolios of all types, regardless of investors’ risk tolerances. Over the long-term, this Fidelity fund is likely to produce returns in line or close to those of major U.S. equity benchmarks, such as the S&P 500 and the Russell 1000 Index.
This Fidelity fund is considered a large-cap blend offering and allocates 21% of its weight to technology stocks. The financial services and healthcare sectors combine for over almost 32% of FZROX’s weight.
Fidelity Puritan Fund (FPURX)
Expense ratio: 0.54%
The Fidelity Puritan (MUTF:FPURX) is one of the best Fidelity funds for investors to consider if they are looking dynamic asset allocation, particularly as markets change. Meaning FPURX can offer the traditional 60/40 equity/fixed income split, but that allocation can jump as high as 80/20 in strong trending bull markets.
This is a massive Fidelity fund with $26.99 billion in assets under management and one that recently underwent a management change. Long-time lead manager Ramin Arani departed the fund at the end of last year with Dan Kelley assuming the top spot in running FPURX. Still, the fund has a five-star Morningstar rating and is one of the cheaper actively managed funds in this category.
FPURX invests 67% of its assets in stocks and other equity securities and the remainder in bonds and other debt securities, including lower-quality debt securities, when its outlook is neutral,” according to Fidelity. “Investing at least 25% of total assets in fixed-income senior securities (including debt securities and preferred stock). Engaging in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the fund.”
Fidelity Low Volatility Factor ETF (FDLO)
Expense ratio: 0.29%
With investors flocking to low volatility ETFs this year, the Fidelity Low Volatility Factor ETF (NYSEARCA:FDLO) is a Fidelity fund to consider. FDLO operates in a crowded universe of domestic low volatility funds, but the ETF is offering modest out-performance this year of the largest ETF in this category. Since coming to market in September 2016, FDLO has outperformed the two largest domestic low volatility ETFs.
FDLO tracks the Fidelity U.S. Low Volatility Factor Index and holds nearly 130 stocks. This Fidelity fund is a different beast than what many investors are accustomed to with low volatility investments. Typically, low volatility strategies are heavily allocated to defensive sectors, but that is not the case with this Fidelity fund as FDLO devotes just under 7% of its weight to the real estate and utilities sectors.
A 21% weight to technology stocks is not typical of reduced volatility strategies, but that trait has boosted FDLO’s returns while enhancing the fund’s quality profile. Fidelity clients can trade FDLO commission-free to realize additional cost benefits.
Fidelity International High Dividend ETF (FIDI)
Expense ratio: 0.39%
On the actively managed side, there are some Fidelity funds with long track records. Investors can tap the firm’s expertise in ex-U.S. markets via the ETF wrapper with the Fidelity International High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:FIDI), which debuted in early 2018.
FIDI tracks the Fidelity International High Dividend Index, a benchmark comprised of ex-U.S. developed markets large- and mid-cap stocks that have the ability to sustain and grow dividends. 99% of FIDI’s net assets are invested in stocks, and it is classified as a large-cap value fund. In many cases, international dividend stocks have higher yields than their U.S. counterparts and there is the added benefit of geographic diversification.
“Stocks with high yields may pay out a high percentage of their earnings as dividends, which reduces the fraction that can be reinvested to grow their businesses,” according to Morningstar. “Alternatively, high yields can stem from stocks with poor prospects and depressed prices.”
Fortunately, this Fidelity fund may be positioned as a high dividend fund, but it offers dividend growth potential and quality traits as well.
Fidelity ZERO Extended Market Index Fund (FZIPX)
Expense Ratio: 0%
The Fidelity ZERO Extended Market Index Fund (MUTF:FZIPX) is another one of the Fidelity funds that does not have an expense ratio and it is a successful one at that. FZIPX debuted earlier this year and already has $417 million of assets under management.
FZIPX fills voids left by funds that purport to be broad market funds but are really just large-cap strategies. In other words, this Fidelity fund is heavy on mid- and small-cap stocks and is classified as a mid-cap blend fund because the bulk of its holdings have market values ranging from $2 billion to $10 billion.
There is no individual security risk in FZIPX because the fund’s top 10 holdings combined for just 2.46% of the index fund’s portfolio. However, this Fidelity fund has some sector-level risk because the financial services, industrial and technology sectors combine for over 48% of the fund’s weight.
Fidelity High Yield Factor ETF (FDHY)
Expense Ratio: 0.45%
The Fidelity High Yield Factor ETF (NYSEARCA:FDHY), an actively managed fund, is one of the newer Fidelity funds in the fixed income universe and with default rates remaining low this year, investors can up their income streams by being bold with bond funds like FDHY.
Some of the advantages of actively managed corporate bond funds include the abilities of the managers to manage interest rate risk and seek credit opportunities as they present themselves. For example, if high-yield bond market participants are favoring higher rated junk debt, FDHY can adjust allocations away from speculative fare.
The managers can also seek opportunities outside the U.S. as highlighted by FDHY’s exposure to 13 countries, though the U.S. accounts for 80% of the Fidelity fund’s geographic weight.
At the end of May, FDHY had a duration of 3.3 years and an annualized dividend yield of 4.7%. FDHY holds 191 bonds.
As of this writing, Todd Shriber does not own any of the aforementioned securities.
