'Poorly performing, extra volatility, weak in downturn', these phrases make me think you guys should be glad not to be holding TILCX, for example. Much less an actual subpar fund. (Who thought it would be comparatively stronger in a downturn? It's not a balanced fund.) Until the middle of March DSE_X has tracked SP500 pretty closely, above it often but more recently below it. The last few weeks have been worse, no question, with the new bond problems which have surprised everyone.
I believe @msf more than once in the past has attempted savvy descriptions or perhaps informed speculations of the ingredients of the bond sauce.

at the fund there's an investor letter. he has a such a strict value bent that he STILL is @ 50% cash. So if it gets to his buy levels, I want to be in as many of those picks will be multibaggers.

Howdy folks,
@johnN, I've dealt with apmex.com for years for bullion although not exclusively. They're painless. To buy higher end coins, the clearing house is collectorscorner.com . These are mostly slabbed coins and you'll find the top 10-15 dealers listing their coins here. I'm very fortunate where I live here in mid Michigan because Liberty Coins is here and I've dealt with them for years. https://libertycoinservice.com/
Never, ever, ever buy anything off of TV. It's all marked up about 50% over common retail. Also, you CAN get some buys on Ebay but it's tough and you really have to shop and know your sellers.
good luck,
rono

Consider IHI as an alternative to FSMEX if an option for you. Similar performance YTD and better over 3 and 5 year periods (per Schwab data)

Hi sir @_rono
What websites do you buy/sell your coins
Friend told us to use, had great experience previously with apmex
https://www.apmex.com/sell-gold-sell-silver-overview
We still have ed gld but only 0.5% of portfolio
Thx

Hi @davfor First, thank you for the article post.
I have not read the write in full, but much had been discussed here; about forward impacts in so many areas. The economy will be damaged very deeply, just look around with what you know and understand about the state you reside. The cranial-rectal inversion syndrome crowd, for whatever reason, remain impaired with critical thinking. Data page (I'll try the full open link at the end, below my name. It will not link properly at this time when embedded) for the young who don't/didn't know better
and why I did and do still fear the number of retired snowbirds when they leave their southern nests and return to Michigan, let alone the young invincible and the southern states who refused to close the beaches, etc. The data related link in bold is for the danger that has already arrived regarding the young ones. Surely, they didn't THINK that they might be involved in the deaths of family members or friends who are more "at risk".
As to the adults with "the cranial-rectal inversion syndrome", well; so many of the older ones I know are not fixable; although some are beginning to "see the light". I/we use Facebook as linkage to our local school system. 'Course, we had to create a page/name; but there is nothing to see at the page........blank city. However, this allows me to visit other pages to read some posts (can't see everything without being a "friend"); but I see most of the posts and replies. Pretty sad bunch on the right side of the fence; folks I've know for decades. They're still posting about getting rid of Pelosi.....they have stopped the posts about COVID not being more of a problem than the common FLU. I emailed 5 of the people I've known for many years, ranging in age from 60-76. I noted to them that I know 3 of you were and/or are still smokers and that 2 of you have had mild heart conditions; and are you aware that if you contract the virus that your odds of surviving are very small. No replies yet.
A last note regarding Facebook pages I viewed this morning (April 5). A known (I know him) right winger placed a post (data source unknown, as is usual) stated that the virus "success" rate for recovery is 98.54%, "Why isn't this number being talked about on TV/media. Using a rounded figure of 330 million for U.S. population, his math works out to a death number of, 4,818,000. Geez.
AS to the adults who remain with the "cranial-rectal inversion syndrome" here's the game being played by Gov. Kemp of Georgia. The link has
multiple choices for reading....especially the Tybee Island Mayor.
Personal summary = We do our best here to stay out of harms way to avoid contracting the virus; and there remains so many dumb asses in the pathway to safety. I'd like to take them all to Detroit to help the paramedics and hospital staff. OH, and you want to wear a mask.......and you didn't bring your own........sorry, we're out of stock. Check Amazon.
Talk about part of our society being so screwed up in the brain cell area. I do believe they are in the land of OZ and I know which character they are.....
I'm done, I'm tired of writing about all of this.
Nap time is in my future.
Take care of you and yours,
Catch
https://t.co/3A3ePn9Vin" Click the map, enlarge and unmute on sound. About 1:15 minutes

@rono - who said "The private for profit health care system is imploding before our eyes." Honestly I can't say that's a bad thing. I remember going to the doctor as a kid up through going as a dad through maternity/childbirth. Appointment-treated-doctor sent invoice-patient paid. There was no mention of insurance, healthcare providers, in/out of network bullshit. It was like a trip to your auto mechanic or grocery store or hardware store or lumber yard, whatever. Now those bloodsuckers in the middle add in multiple layers of worthless nonsense and red tape voodoo that do nothing but gouge patients/clients and leave them in debt and despair. Honestly can anybody tell me WTF good they are?
What's worse, if I try to go to a doctor's office or a medical clinic with CASH, DOLLAR BILLS in my hand I get charged 1.5-2X the amount because I don't use the insurer's or their healthcare plans either in or out of network. Get back to me when you figure that one out would you please.
@JohnN - I sincerely hope that what you reported regarding slow/empty ER's is true. I have many friends (nurses/doctors/otherwise) in the field and they are not seeing that yet. Change would be welcome.

Mark............add
This is a broad search for Safari ver. 13.1
As you scroll down the links list you will see some articles dated March 27, etc. indicating some apparent problems encountered by others. I didn't read the CNET story, but you may want to check this, too.
WHAT version of Safari is indicated on your MAC?

@mcmarasco
The AUM was $7 billion when the fund closed 1 year ago. Some of the change value today to about $5.3 billion, is likely a combination of outflows from the fund and the underlying value of the holdings downward at this time. Mark had noted the value of the holdings for some of the AUM change.

Not happy Fidelity reopened FSMEX. I’ve been invested in it for three+ years now and I thought the AUM was more than high enough.
The AUM is still over $5 billion. I presume they see great “value”in their space. I sure hope that’s the reason!

https://www.kiplinger.com/article/investing/T052-C003-S002-stay-calm-amid-bond-market-chaos.html
/Stay Calm Amid Bond Market Chaos
The risk is that you’ll lock your money in a low-yield prison just in time for normalcy to return to the financial markets.
I won’t mince words: “Lower for longer,” my overriding view of fixed-income yields, is trending toward “lowest imaginable.” Expect the imminent return of zero, or near-zero, rates on money market funds, three- and six-month CDs, and bank deposits. Bonds with 4% and 5% coupons will be called in bunches by their issuers. Mortgage refis will cut the payouts from Ginnie Mae funds. More dividend erosion is in store for short- and intermediate-term bond funds./
Yields for vehicles mentioned in article so low
Maybe these are reasons investors may take higher risks to buy stocks....
Tread very carefully/don't catch falling knife especially with capital preservation portfolio

Good morning
Not trying to downplay virus issues /data but seems many major medical centers in major cities are extremelyslow right now [except hotspots NYC New Jersey NOLA]. We have family members working in austin and houston medical centers, they says rate of patients coming to er/hospitals down by 80-90% compared to Nov-Dec19. Their medical facilities are ghost town resemblance. Also not many active COVID19 cases.
Do you see similar themes in your local hospitals with down screenings and not too busy ER/HOSPITALS. Others argue these previous news maybe overhyped by Media. Virus deceased data of course real but it seems majority of US may have it under control. At least preliminary data demonstrates limited admissions and ICU care. As others stated, hope we can flatten curve soon....we will know in several weeks and hope for the best. Hopefully these are good signs and we are doing good job of virus containment.
My brother works as RN, he says they cut back his shifts by 30%, because he is not needed most of time because limited admissions and everything shut down, no more elective procedures at least until May 5th. Think most private physicians are also suffering not getting enough patients and supporting staff furloughed.
Hopeful for economy slowly reopen in 5-8 weeks/things slowly return to normalcy

This is such a niche fund holding. I'd be very careful. If youre interested in EM take a look at ARTYX. Its done quite well in its 3 years. Has also held up well compared to its category. MY favorite intl holding though is MFAIX. Best risk adjusted returns over 3, 5 and 7 years

Rates will stay low and I intend to get better than 4% (I hope for at least 4.5-5%) from my bond funds, after all, I invest mostly in bond funds but I also trade them. Don't forget that bonds have several categories such as HY. Coming out of this mess, the best managers/funds will do much better than a simple index like BND. We have seen it already after 2009.

VTV is not SP500 value, right? That would be VOOV.
3/4 as many stocks.
And if you write and edit fund prospectuses, you recognize that the D&C language nuance / emphasis are subtly more different from than similar to the TRP language.

My main point, for years now, that many put D&C on a pedestal because their team management style, LT investing history, lower rates which I know all about but the numbers don't back it up and then I hear the excuses.
Any fund can make up a more complicated strategy and claim...well, it's not really the same so you can't compare it.
LC US stocks is the main category investors use and if a fund can't perform better for 1-3-5-10-15 years than the SP500 + its volatility is higher than the SP500 there are no buts or ifs. We are talking short-term + long-term
See 15 years of risk/reward(link).
As of 3/31/2020
15 years aver annual performance...VFIAX=7.39...DODGX 5.45%
15 years SD=volatility......................VFIAX=14.3...DODGX 17.1
Below is the more current results as of 04/03/2020

@OJ - I am using Mac OS High Sierra v.10.13.6 on a 2011 MacBook Pro. My continuing details relate just to this post on the discussion page.
@Ben - Yes, I am referring to the "Discussions Home Page" and not the MFO Home Page.
1. I logged into the Discussions Home Page. This Discussion post was shown with the light gray background (I agree its quite faint) because I had read Catch22's post earlier. There was also the wording [ 2 New ] enclosed in a yellow shape. This indicated that OJ and Ben had responded.
2. I clicked on the post which opened up in a new page. I read OJ and Ben's contributions and used the left-pointing arrow to go back to the Discussions home page. In the past the yellow shape and enclosed wording would have been gone but now it's still there.
3. I clicked on the post again and added my "test" response.
4. I used the left-pointing arrow to go back to the Discussions home page. Again the yellow shape and enclosed wording should have been gone but it's still there.
5. I used the left-pointing arrow to go back to the Discussions home page. I then reloaded the Discussion page using the Safari reload symbol. Only now is the yellow shape gone. In the past it would have been gone as soon as I had read the new additions and returned to the Discussion home page using the left-pointing arrow.
Hope that makes sense. I checked my Safari settings and Preferences and nothing has been added or changed since the beginning.

I'm reading, learning with interest on this thread. Way back in 2010, I agreed t babysit my colleague's money. I put him into PRWCX, which I own, too. I put his wife in DODBX. (And DODIX, too.) I just read the Morningstar update on DODBX. Morningstar is not "gospel-truth," but they have, I notice, reduced the DODBX rating down to 3 stars (from 5, then 4 some time ago) but they continue to rate it "GOLD." And not every fund even gets one of those "metal-medals:" bronze, silver, gold. THEY are not too worried.
Over the past 10 years, "risk" is rated HIGH, but that's compared to other funds in a not-so-risky category, yes? Over the same 10-year period, "Returns' are rated Above-Average. I must say, I don't like that recipe: high risk but (only) above-average profit. But it's not a deal-breaker. So, over that long-haul period of 10-years, it's performing better than the avaerage in its category. I take solace in that, at least.

VTV is not SP500 value, right? That would be VOOV.
3/4 as many stocks.
And if you write and edit fund prospectuses, you recognize that the D&C language nuance / emphasis are subtly more different from than similar to the TRP language.

MikeM The portfolio is the Cape ETN and a portfolio of bonds similiar to the Doubleline Low Duration bond fund which is down 4-5% this year. This year (3 months) is the first time the fund under-performed it's Mstar category for any period of time. It is more volatile than its category peers. I bought it because I liked the concept and after seeing some of the PIMCO stock plus funds knew over the longer term it should outperform the benchmark.
I like a few of the Doubleline managers and think that Jeff loves attention and is a good marketer and probably has too many funds. I have had good and bad luck with many profiled funds on here and most of them turn out to be average or below, which is unfortunately how this works.
The Int'l CAPE fund has done horribly since the beginning. I owned it for a year and bailed.
I guess we have now learned the the only bonds that hold up in a crash are Treasuries.

Dodge & Cox was founded in 1930. The company has introduced only six mutual funds since then. The firm's analysts and managers tend to stay at the company for a very long time. Dodge & Cox funds are team-managed and they have below-average expense ratios. There is a lot to admire about the firm's philosophy and operations. As others have mentioned, value has generally been out of favor for many years. I agree with Mark that it is inappropriate to compare Dodge & Cox funds to growth funds from other shops.

1) Is the SP500 a growth fund?
2) DODGX hold Google and MSFT in their top 10, are these not growth?
3) How can you explain DODGX falling behind VTV(value ETF) for 1-3-5-10-15 years. But wait, VTV also have lower volatility(=SD) and better Sharpe. See 16 years results (link)
4) VOO (SP500) expense = 0.03% and VTV = 0.04% are definitely cheaper than DODGX = 0.52%