Preferred ETF's

In December I made a post about my "Venturing into preferred stock". Since that purchase of F-A I have also picked up BML-Q (an 8.6% note from Bank of America). The main difficulty with these preferreds is that you would have to buy a wide variety to spread your risk. Risks that exist from suspended payments, and underlying stock value (mainly).

The preferred market are largely based in financial institutions and real-estate , so their is inherent risk should the financial's and real-estate markets continue to have turmoil. 2009 was a particularly good year for the recovery of many bank stocks, and even some REIT's... This is reflected in the returns of the S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index.

There is an ETF that tracks the S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index (PFF) and one that tracks the Wachovia Hybrid & Preferred Securities Financial Index (PGX)

PFF - iShares S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index Fund
PGX - PowerShares Financial Preferred Portfolio

For 2009 PFF returned 31.68% plus an 8.58% dividend, while PGX returned 23.75% plus a 9.06% dividend. I consider both of these to be good options for some fixed income with a much higher return than standard bind funds, albeit with higher risk too.

Fund Analysis

Every year, after the previous years results are posted for mutual funds, I do some research to validate which funds I should be in. Sometimes I find that I am quite happy were I am, other times not so much.

A good example is the Fidelity Latin America Fund (FLATX), which had an eye-popping 94% return last year.... "Great!!" I say with pleasure... until I see that it lagged a common competitor by over 20%... The T. Rowe Price Latin America Fund returned over 115% last year...

This is just one example of why I do these checks... Granted the Fidelity fund is in my 401k program and the T. Rowe Price is not... But I have access via an account called "Brokerage Link" within my 401k to buy whatever I like... The hassle is worth it for 20% better return... Moreover on a 10yr annualized return I see it is about 4%, year after year...

Here is some of what I found:

T. Rowe Price Latin America - Just look at the returns... need I say more: 115% 1yr // 29.6% 5yr/an // 18.5% 10yr/an

T. Rowe Price Health Sciences - Better 3yr, 5yr, & 10yr returns than many competitors

Fidelity Emerging Markets K - new fund that timed the markets pretty well to return 89% in 2009

Fidelity New Markets Income - Dividend of 6.99%, market conditions had a lot to do with that, but see the outstanding 10yr annualized return of 12.55%

Oakmark Equity and Income I - Probably the best conservative balanced fund in the market, number 1 in sector for 10yr return at nearly 10% annualized.

Janus Balanced - Always lags in up markets, but smokes all competitors in down markets... Check the 7% advantage in 3yr return vs. Fidelity and others.

Fidelity Select Technology - If technology is going to lead the recovery, this is a good fund to own. It was ranked 6th in category last year with a monster 91% return

Allianz NFJ Small Cap Value Instl - A 12% annualized 10yr return ranks this 5-star fund it 7th in category.

T. Rowe Price New Era - My favorite energy sector fund, returned 57% last year, and is at 11.5% for 10yr annualized

Templeton Global Bond Fund Advisor Class - 4.5% dividend and over 19% return last year did not get it in the top ten for category, but it is number 1 in 10yr with 10.93% annually.

PIMCO Total Return Instl - Number 3 in category for 10yr paid out a 5.44% dividend last year with 12.4% return.