Earlier this month, Morningstar announced the winners of Fund Manager of the Year award for the past year. Here are the winners:
Domestic-Stock Manager of the Year: Will Danoff, Fidelity Contrafund and Fidelity Advisor New Insights
International-Stock Managers of the Year: Hakan Castegren and Northern Cross Team, Harbor International
Fixed-Income Manager of the Year: Bill Gross, PIMCO Total Return and Harbor Bond
Coincidentally or not, I actually own the two stock funds, Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX) and Harbor International (HIINX), that helped their respective managers make to the list. I used to own PIMCO Total Return (PTRRX) in my 401(k) account too, but now I have better place to park my fixed income position -- that is, China-based money market funds that will benefit from the continued appreciating Yuan while earning handsome interest.
This actually reminds me that conscious mutual fund picking is as important as stock picking. (And of course, Morningstar is the #1 resource for mutual fund investors.)
Also below are the winners of this prestigious award in the mutual fund industry in prior years just for reference:
2006
Domestic Stock: O. Mason Hawkins and Staley Cates, Longleaf Partners Fund and Longleaf Partners Small Cap
International Stock: David Herro, Oakmark International and Oakmark International Small Cap
Fixed Income: Jeffrey Gundlach, TCW Total Return Bond
2005
Domestic Stock: Chris Davis and Ken Feinberg, Selected American S
International Stock: Rob Lyon, Matt Pickering and Jerrold Senser, ICAP International
Fixed Income: Tad Rivelle, David Lippman, Laird Landmann and Stephan Kane, Metropolitan West Total Return Bond
2004
Domestic Stock: Brian Berghuis, T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth
International Stock: Bryan C. Cameron, Mario C. DiPrisco, Jacob M. Gofman, John A. Gunn, Gregory R. Serrurier, Diana S. Strandberg, and Kouji Yamada, Dodge & Cox International Stock
Fixed Income: Ken Leech and team, Western Asset Core Bond
2003
Domestic Stock: Howard Schow, Theo Kolokotrones, Joel Fried, Vanguard Primecap and Vanguard Capital Opportunity
International Stock: Bill Fries, Thornburg International Value
Fixed Income: Fidelity`s Municipal Bond Fund Team, Fidelity Spartan Municipal Income
2002
Domestic Stock: Joel Tillinghast, Fidelity Low-Priced Stock
International Stock: Rudolph-Riad Younes and Richard Pell, Julius Baer International Equity
Fixed Income: Management Team, Dodge andamp; Cox Income
2001
Domestic Stock: William C. Nygren, Oakmark Select
International Stock: Jean-Marie Eveillard and Charles de Vaulx, First Eagle SoGen Global
Fixed Income: Robert L. Rodriguez, FPA New Income
2000
Domestic Stock: Jim Gipson, Doug Grey, Peter Quinn, Michael Sandler, and Bruce Veaco, Clipper Fund
International Stock: Christopher Browne, William Browne and John Spears, Tweedy Browne Global Value Fund
Fixed Income: Bill Gross, PIMCO Total Return
1999
Domestic Stock: Jim Callinan, RS Emerging Growth
International Stock: Europacific Growth Team (Stephen Bepler, Martial Chaillet, Mark Denning, Alwyn Heong, Robert Lovelace, Janet McKinley and Thierry Vandeventer)
Fixed Income: Jerry Paul, Invesco High-Yield
1998
Domestic Stock: Bill Miller, Legg Mason Value Trust and Legg Mason Special Investment Trust
International Stock: Mark Yockey, Artisan International Fund
Fixed Income: Bill Gross and team, PIMCO Total Return, PIMCO Low Duration
1997
Domestic Stock: Mario Gabelli, Gabelli Asset Fund
International Stock: Helen Young Hayes, Janus Overseas and Janus Worldwide
Fixed Income: David Beldt, Morgan Grenfell Fixed-Income and Morgan Grenfell Municipal Bond
*1996
Domestic Stock: Shelby Davis, Davis New York Venture and Selected American Shares
Closed-End: Nick Adams, First Financial
International Stock: Hakan Castegren, Harbor International and Ivy International
Fixed Income: Joe Deane, Smith Barney Managed Municipals and Smith Barney California Municipals
*1995
Domestic Stock: Jack Laporte, T. Rowe Price New Horizons
International Stock: Jack Mussey, Colonial Newport Tiger
Fixed Income: Dan Fuss, Loomis Sales Bond
1994
Bob Rodriguez, FPA Capital and FPA New Income
1993
Jeff Vinik, Fidelity Magellan
1992
Bill Dutton, Skyline Special Equities
1991
Donald Yacktman, Selected American Shares
1990
Martin Whitman, Equity Strategies
1989
Tom Marsico, Janus Twenty
1988
Peter Lynch, Fidelity Magellan
1987
Jerry Palmieri, Franklin Growth
* Editor's Note: In 1995, Morningstar began distributing awards among three broad asset classes--domestic stock, international stock and fixed income. In 1996, however, Morningstar also presented an award in the closed-end fund category.