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Whoever is responsible for bringing this to my attention, I thank you. Really good long-term record, and it's just on fire out of the gate in 2020. VLAAX Value Line Asset Allocation, in the 50-70% stocks category at Morningstar. One drawback: high Expense Ratio. But I've seen worse. Our plan is to put wife's old 403b in this fund, and not worry about it, forever. We just mailed the paperwork.
@Derf, Yes I see that, but which other moderate allocation funds did better? It looks like PRWCX did slightly better, but I can't buy it. I'm not sure how to directly compare with the 6.3% drop of VLAAX, but it seems to compare pretty well and has beaten DODBX, FPURX, and JABAX for the one three five and ten year periods. It looks to have done about as well as these funds in the recent and ongoing downturn. I'm open to suggestions for something better that can be bought in the moderate allocation category.
Just graphed everybody since the 23rd of Feb, obvs not counting today, and GLRBX looks good too, like ValueLine and PRWCX --- marginally better than the others. Longterm is v different for it, naturally. You might like delving some of the Fido Asset Manager funds in their various proportions -- ?
@ davidrmoran, I think I'm good with VLAAX. I only commented on the fund since I recently started a position and noticed this thread. I commented that it held up well and thought it may even be a "star in the shadow". That may be a little much, I don't know... Perhaps in the future I'll branch out more. Thank you for your input, it does make me think I made a solid choice. For a moment I thought I had made a mistake when I read the comment made by Derf.
@Old_Joe In my opinion, I don't think VLAAX is preferable, but rather fills a different need. For me I have a small new account that is just VLAAX because it is more diversified 96 stocks and 491 bonds thus is considered an "all-in-one" by many including me. AKREX is a great fund and I do hold it in another account, but it is not stand alone. It has only 18 stock holdings. AKREX has done well, but with only 18 stocks, I think it is riskier. Their standard deviation (3 year) supports my opinion AKREX 11.18 vs VLAAX 8.49. The 5 and 10 year SD are similar. In the end both seem to be near the top of their category. By the way currently VLAAX holds 7 of the 18 stocks in AKREX portfolio, albiet in lower percentage of the overall portfolio.
I want to buy VLAAX and VALIX but I'm hesitating. I'll need to get rid of two funds to buy these if I pull the trigger. Or I'm just going to wait for bigger correction.
@VintageFreak That is really a tough call. Uncertainty and volatility are in charge at the moment. Since this fund’s assets are only at 1.2 B, the fund is not well known, and the market direction is uncertain; I don’t think you need to worry about acting fast. The fund appears to be in no danger of closing anytime soon. I purchased shares with new money at an admittedly “bad” time, before the recent fall. I would say with confidence I have never been good at timing the market, but I do try to not make many changes in times of uncertainty.
As I said, above: yesterday, Tuesday, I finally got hold of a COOPERATIVE and intelligent phone agent at Value Line. She confessed that VL (VLAAX) is "so very backed up" re: "processing." When I mentioned that we might get tired of waiting, and choose a different fund, she said: "yes. I don't blame you. And there's no way to track your paperwork until an account IS set-up, anyhow. And we will know that you've selected something else when we try to make the transfer, and there's no money in the 403b you're wanting to convert to the Rollover IRA HERE". ..... But by now, there's no reason to hurry or hold my breath, with the market volatility. We'll just wait it out. (The old 403b is in VEIRX.)..... And another thing: if they are so very very very very very very slow in "processing," do I want to do business with them? This reminds me that PTIAX Performance Trust is slow about that, too. It just tells me--- without them ever admitting it--- that the Suits In Charge don't care about hiring enough people to accomplish "processing" in a timely manner. Sucks. Perf. Trust lately decided to move their monthly distributions to mid-month, too, maybe in reaction to too many complaints?
@Crash Wow, that’s really not good to hear. I didn’t buy directly from Value Line, so I didn’t have the horrible experience you had. I absolutely see your point. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully it is just an issue with new account set-up.
@VintageFreak I fully agree with you! I invest with 4(soon to be 3) brokerages, and I can't imagine having to deal with fund companies paperwork and administrative snafus as well !
Just bought a bit of VLAAX and VALIX. If market heads south will sell ICMAX and ICMCX and average over into the former. Intrepid funds I have held for years. At the very least they should change the freakin name...like Wimply funds.
@VintageFreak, I thought those two funds were different versions of the same portfolio haha.
But I just looked at performance charts comparing the two funds, and VLAAX actually outperformed over almost every time frame. And over 10 years, it’s $5K difference (not sure if either fund changed their mandate over that time frame). Just something I picked up, as VLAAX has gotten a lot of talk recently
I sold ICMAX and ICMCX and DCA'ed into existing VSIAX, ARTLX, ARTQX instead. All orders entered few minutes back. Mr. Snowball's article alerted me to the fact these "active" and "intrepid" (sic) in spite of having lot of "active share" hadn't distinguished themselves. And if they are going to hold a lot of cash might as well take half and put in VSIAX and let the other half grown in MM fund.
We frequently discuss funds "holding a lot of cash" as a negative implication suggesting that there is no income potential for that "cash" position. I wonder if that is always true.
Surely that "cash" isn't just buried in a tin can in the fund's backyard. Does anyone happen to know if any income the fund generates from that "cash" finds it's way back to the fundholders? If it does, then the results might not be all that much different than if the fundholder had that cash sitting in a typical bank account or MM fund.
@Old_Joe I think I'm probably as guilty as anyone looking for funds "that hold cash". Execution is important. An FPA Crescent has done this well. Intrepid hasn't. I have IVWAX as well. It really depends I guess.
And don't forget PVCMX. Cinnamond keeps starting funds, then closing them down because they are not profitable because of low assets or what I dunno. Because it is hardly invested its YTD numbers are good. If he can time the "recovery", it can be your bat out of hell.
If I want to buy a fund I just do it at Schwab (I have a small account at Fidelity too) and if it's not there I don't buy. I can buy VLAAX or VLAIX at $100K min + $49.95 (which I usually don't pay) and then I can add or switch to another fund. For years PRWCX(closed) was my number one allocation choice but VLAIX looks better now and available.
Comments
Derf
Why seek ye something better?
Just graphed everybody since the 23rd of Feb, obvs not counting today, and GLRBX looks good too, like ValueLine and PRWCX --- marginally better than the others. Longterm is v different for it, naturally. You might like delving some of the Fido Asset Manager funds in their various proportions -- ?
I think I'm good with VLAAX. I only commented on the fund since I recently started a position and noticed this thread. I commented that it held up well and thought it may even be a "star in the shadow". That may be a little much, I don't know... Perhaps in the future I'll branch out more. Thank you for your input, it does make me think I made a solid choice. For a moment I thought I had made a mistake when I read the comment made by Derf.
In my opinion, I don't think VLAAX is preferable, but rather fills a different need. For me I have a small new account that is just VLAAX because it is more diversified 96 stocks and 491 bonds thus is considered an "all-in-one" by many including me. AKREX is a great fund and I do hold it in another account, but it is not stand alone. It has only 18 stock holdings. AKREX has done well, but with only 18 stocks, I think it is riskier. Their standard deviation (3 year) supports my opinion AKREX 11.18 vs VLAAX 8.49. The 5 and 10 year SD are similar. In the end both seem to be near the top of their category. By the way currently VLAAX holds 7 of the 18 stocks in AKREX portfolio, albiet in lower percentage of the overall portfolio.
Regards- OJ
That is really a tough call. Uncertainty and volatility are in charge at the moment. Since this fund’s assets are only at 1.2 B, the fund is not well known, and the market direction is uncertain; I don’t think you need to worry about acting fast. The fund appears to be in no danger of closing anytime soon. I purchased shares with new money at an admittedly “bad” time, before the recent fall. I would say with confidence I have never been good at timing the market, but I do try to not make many changes in times of uncertainty.
Wow, that’s really not good to hear. I didn’t buy directly from Value Line, so I didn’t have the horrible experience you had. I absolutely see your point. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully it is just an issue with new account set-up.
But I just looked at performance charts comparing the two funds, and VLAAX actually outperformed over almost every time frame. And over 10 years, it’s $5K difference (not sure if either fund changed their mandate over that time frame). Just something I picked up, as VLAAX has gotten a lot of talk recently
I sold ICMAX and ICMCX and DCA'ed into existing VSIAX, ARTLX, ARTQX instead. All orders entered few minutes back. Mr. Snowball's article alerted me to the fact these "active" and "intrepid" (sic) in spite of having lot of "active share" hadn't distinguished themselves. And if they are going to hold a lot of cash might as well take half and put in VSIAX and let the other half grown in MM fund.
Surely that "cash" isn't just buried in a tin can in the fund's backyard. Does anyone happen to know if any income the fund generates from that "cash" finds it's way back to the fundholders? If it does, then the results might not be all that much different than if the fundholder had that cash sitting in a typical bank account or MM fund.
Have a nice Sunday, Derf
And don't forget PVCMX. Cinnamond keeps starting funds, then closing them down because they are not profitable because of low assets or what I dunno. Because it is hardly invested its YTD numbers are good. If he can time the "recovery", it can be your bat out of hell.
Will find out if NTF somewhere i have account.
For years PRWCX(closed) was my number one allocation choice but VLAIX looks better now and available.
Derf
I checked again at Schwab
VLAIX has a $100K min and a transaction fee=$49.95
VLAAX has $100 min and no transaction fee.