|
In this publication, we're going to be discussing Oppenheimer Funds mutual funds. The correct spelling of the fund is actually one word: OppenheimerFunds. As part of this discussion, we'll start with a brief history of the company. Next, we'll talk about fee structures and investment returns. Finally, we'll provide a short list of the top performing mutual funds at Oppenheimer.
OppenheimerFunds Family of Funds
OppenheimerFunds was originally part of Oppenheimer Management Corporation, which had three operating subsidiaries: OppenheimerFunds, Oppenheimer Capital, and Oppenheimer & Company. After a series of acquisitions, OppenheimerFunds was separated from the rest of the Oppenheimer family of companies, and has remained under a separate ownership structure since 1990.
Since that time, OppenheimerFunds has grown to offer a diverse set of mutual funds and retirement plans. This includes offerings to investors such as Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. With just over $152 billion in investor assets under its control, OppenheimerFunds would not be considered a large mutual fund family when compared to Fidelity Mutual Funds. Where Oppenheimer appears to have carved out a niche in the mutual fund market is with its bond funds. Nearly 38% of the fund's assets are held in taxable bonds and municipal bond funds.
OppenheimerFunds Fee Structure and Returns
According to Morningstar, the expense ratio for a mutual fund at Oppenheimer range from Average for their domestic stock (1.45%), international stock (1.47%) and taxable bond funds (1.16%) to Above Average for their municipal bond fund (1.31%). As mentioned earlier, a relatively large proportion of assets are invested in bond funds (38%) while domestic stocks (21%) and international stocks (29%) make up the balance.
The minimum investment to open an account at OppenheimerFunds is just $1,000. This is somewhere in the middle of the pack for those mutual fund families reviewed. As was the case with American Mutual Funds, nearly all of the funds carry a load. In fact, only 18.1% of the assets are held in funds at Oppenheimer that are no-load mutual funds. As of the end of April 2011, the average return for an OppenheimerFunds mutual fund over the last five years was 4.35%.
Top Rated OppenheimerFunds Mutual Funds
Despite the fact OppenheimerFunds carries a large number of bond funds; none of the top three mutual funds are bond funds. In fact, we see a healthy mix of income producing funds as well as funds concentrating on international stocks. Unfortunately, all three of these funds carry a large front load of 5.75%.
- Oppenheimer Developing Markets A (ODMAX) - with just over $24 billion in assets, this large growth fund's focus is on the technology and consumer defensive sectors of the economy. The fund's larger holdings include HTC Corporation, Infosys Technologies, Ltd., and America Movil. The expense ratio for this fund is 1.35%. It also requires a minimum investment of $1,000, and a front load of 5.75%. The average return of this fund over the last five years was 11.87%. (May 2011)
- Oppenheimer International Diversified A (OIDAX) - with $2.2 billion in assets, this large foreign blend fund's concentration is on industrials, technologies, and basic materials. Top holdings include Oppenheimer International Growth, Master Intl Value Fund, and Oppenheimer International Small Co. The expense ratio for the fund is 1.40%, and the minimum investment is $1,000. The average return over the last five years was 4.98%. (May 2011)
- Oppenheimer Equity Income A (OAEIX) - with just over $2.2 billion in assets, this large value fund focuses on the financial services sector of the economy. Top holdings include Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market, JP Morgan Chase & Co, and Pfizer Inc. The expense ratio is 1.21%, and the fund requires a minimum investment of $1,000. This top rated fund from OppenheimerFunds has produced an average return of 5.20% over the past five years. (May 2011)
About the Author - Oppenheimer Funds Mutual Funds
Copyright © 2005 - 2011 Money-Zine.com
|
Home 
Investing 
