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WSJ Category Kings Include MWMZX

Recent discussion here decried the absence of online Category Kings on the WSJ site. Today the compilations appeared in the "Investing in Funds" monthly section, albeit with only 5 entries per category. Hiding at #2 in Multicap Core we find the Van Eck Morningstar Wide-Moat OEF, MWMZX. Don't rush out to buy it unless you have $1M or can avoid the restricted status. I wonder why it exists and why the WSJ can't do a better job of bringing us funds we can actually buy. The leading performing fund this month is a Fidelity fund almost no one can access. The Van Eck OEF appears to be a clone of the very successful MOAT ETF that I have mentioned here before. MOAT has outperformed the SPY over 3 and 5 year periods and it has also clocked the favorites of a couple of board members, DSEEX and DSENX over almost any time period.

I have not researched this comparison, but my conclusions are that the M* wide-moat strategy is by far the most successful of those affiliated with an investment publication. I looked at Barron's BFOR, the MotleyFool funds, the ValueLine funds, and Eddy Effenbien's Crossing Wall Street. There must be others I don't know of. The MOAT ETF strategy has spawned MOTI, DURA, and GOAT, although the latter three have not attracted many investors. I'd suggest the global GOAT to any member who is reeling from poor NCAA bracket choices. BTW, am I indeed the only MFO discussant to own MOAT? For the record, I also hold DSENX and CAPE.

Comments

  • @BenWP, I don't follow MOAT but I've seen it mentioned (very little) here at MFO in the past. A quick glance in M* shows it to be a pretty nice fund. But, "clocked' DSENX? In 2018 maybe. But in any case, both strategies seem successful in comparison to the S&P 500 and large value or Large blend overall. What I do like about it is it is heaviest HC and Tech, both sectors I think are worth overweighting long term. Thanks for the tip.

    DSENX
    YTD 18.3
    1Y 12.7
    3Y 16.7
    5Y 14.4

    MOAT
    YTD 15.9
    1Y 16.2
    3Y 17.8
    5Y 11.9
  • Yeah, the last couple years many value-ish ETFs have outperformed (hardly clocked) DSE_X and CAPE; I have posted about this a couple of times as I have been seeking alternatives to CAPE, although not specifically mentioning MOAT.
  • @MikeM and @davidmoran: I did overstate the performance figures for MOAT vs. DSENX. I relied on the "chart" function on M* which has cumulative performance. 3 years +22.76% for DSENX and +41.98% for MOAT, but the 5-year difference is not huge. MOAT made a very wise modification to its methodology after a bad 2015 when the fund wound up with a slew of energy companies at the wrong time. They doubled the number of stocks and abandoned the quarterly rejiggering of the whole portfolio, producing fine results. All-in-all, it's an endorsement of the M*'s wide-moat strategy with which I'm happy. I have advocated previously for MOAT here, but my voice has been drowned out by waves of postings and complaints about their frequency. For a few years I owned BFOR and MOAT, but the latter has left the former in the dust. The so-called GAARP fund from Barron's has really disappointed.
  • Hi @BenWP

    Being curious about these noted investments, I've placed a chart next. I also added a SP1500 reference. The time frame of the chart is limited by inception dates, I presume. Also, Stockcharts reportedly includes all distributions.

    Chart, Nov. 2013 to date

  • but my voice has been drowned out by waves of postings and complaints about their frequency.
    Ben, keep your voice and just ignore the person(s) you refer to. I always like hearing what others find works for them. It's more personal than an article. I too get very little out of the multitude of articles posted here, but to each their own.
  • @catch22: that’s a great chart! In addition to demonstrating the CAPE strategy’s long term dominance, it also shows how much DSENX declined when the market went south. Several members wondered aloud here about the prospects of the fund in a down market; maybe this chart has the answer.
  • @BenWP,

    yeah, don't not post, please

    ... but when I graph $10k growth the last 3y for DSENX and MOAT I see only ~2.8% outperformance; how did you arrive at your ~83% figure??
  • @BenWP- Well, if you can't be as cool as Catch, you can be cool with links.

    Very easy to do:


    1) • type in your link title: VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF

    2) • use your mouse to "select" (highlight) that title.

    3) • Go up to the top of your post where it says B, I, U, S, etc. Go out to the next-to-last icon on that line- the one that looks sort of like a paramecium. Click on that gizmo.

    4) • A small box will appear. Just paste that horrendously long URL directly into that box.

    5) • Now your Link title is colored blue, and looks like this: VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF

    See, you can be much cooler than that grumpy guy who posts all those links every day!


  • BWP,

    Something strange here.

    3y $10k growth (not price) for DSENX is $10k to $15,893, 4/9/16 to 4/8.

    Moat reached $16,332. Same period, from $10k.

    I cannot understand your graph or how you got it, but it is marvelous.

    Ah, ah, okay, yours is price. Wild that there is such a price delta even so. Never do price. I want to know only growth w reinvestments.
  • @BenWP @davidrmoran

    I noted, too; that the M* chart indicates price and NAV.
    The M* function for "performance" is reported to include all distributions, as is the the case with Stockcharts. I did not attempt a performance compare at M*.

    David mentioned the 3 year period for these two, which is linked next. The returns for this period are very close.


    3 year chart of the two
  • As the TV commercial for the PGA said, "These guys are good!" I refer to the really helpful comments of @davidmoran, @catch 22, and @Old_Joe, whose priceless instructions on linking include the word "paramecium." Now that's a species we haven't seen on this board for some time!!
  • @BenWP @Old_Joe

    Ben, OJ was very involved with writing a user guide and sorting out bugs with testing and related during the birth of MFO.

    A site search indicates the word, paramecium; had previously never been used at this site in text discussion.

    ADD: I've met two politicians in Michigan over the years who were not far evolved from a paramecium.
  • edited April 2019
    Thanks, Ben. I'm in good company with those two!

    NOT for publication: I have a couple of pairs of very old Jocky boxer shorts with "paramecium" prints (really a Paisley pattern, I think). My favorites.:)

    OJ
  • edited April 2019
    @Catch22- Once again you've read my mind, bro.
  • edited April 2019
    Inadvertent dupe... Deleted
  • Paramecium....Hahahaha....I believe it’s three links of a chain (to “link” an internet site).

    To see performance when comparing an ETF, or other investment vehicle that is traded throughout the day, with an OEF on M*, use the OEF as the starting chart, and then add the ETF/CEF/stock etc
  • @Graust
    Thank you for the M* chart procedure to display proper results when mixing OEF/ETF or CEF compares.
    I don't use M* for charting, but nice to know their methods; and will benefit others here.
    Regards,
    Catch
  • @Graust: Thanks from me also. When I entered DSENX in the M* chart an then compared to MOAT, results are different from doing the obverse. Long-term holders of DSENX should rejoice.
  • edited April 2019
    .
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