Financial Advisor magazine has partnered with investment research firm Dorsey, Wright & Associates to identify socially responsible funds that also demonstrate technical leadership.

Spotlight - Ariel Fund Investor Class (ARGFX)
The Ariel Fund Investor Class (ARGFX) is maintaining a clear leadership position among the equity related scores in this fund universe. ARGFX is scoring at 5.75, which is a superior rating of relative strength, not only in this genre but also against any other type of equity fund in the general equity universe. In addition, ARGFX’s score has been improving over the last six months and there is no sign of eroding relative strength at this time. A close second in fund score is the Ave Maria Growth Fund (AVEGX) with its score holding at a steady 5.35. These two funds are the only options that score at the highest range on the score system at this point in the second quarter of 2013. The best fixed-income option is the Ave Maria Bond Fund, which continues to score above the 3 score threshold with a score of 3.35. That score is well above the average score for a quality fixed-income fund and should be considered a great score versus any type of fixed-income fund available to you.

Figures in the charts below are as of August 25, 2013.

High Strength, Low Risk
Fund Score > 3, Below average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds And ETFs      
    Ave Maria Rising Dividend Fund (AVEDX) 4.60 0.94  
    Parnassus Equity Income Fund Class Inst. (PRILX) 4.55 0.88  
    Calvert Large Cap Core Portfolio Class A (CMIFX) 4.50 0.91  
    iShares FTSE KLD 400 Social Index (DSI) 3.51 0.99  
    Appleseed (APPLX) 3.39 0.93  
    Walden Equity Fund (WSEFX) 3.33 1.00  
    Calvert Moderate Allocation Fund Class A (CMAAX) 3.10 0.71  
    Calvert Balanced Portfolio Class A (CSIFX) 3.10 0.59  
    Pax World Balanced Individual Investor Class (PAXWX) 3.04 0.89  
  Bond Funds      
    Ave Maria Bond Fund (AVEFX) 3.35 0.19  
           

 

High Strength, High Risk
Fund Score > 3, Above average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds and ETFs      
    Ariel Fund Investor Class (ARGFX) 5.75 1.64  
    Ave Maria Growth Fund (AVEGX) 5.35 1.19  
    Parnassus Workplace Fund (PARWX) 4.89 1.21  
    Neuberger Berman Socially Responsive Fund Inv (NBSRX) 4.72 1.11  
    TIAA-CREF Social Choice Equity Fund Inst. (TISCX) 4.60 1.04  
    Domini International Social Equity Fund Class (DOMAX) 4.49 1.40  
    PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy(ETF): NYS - PBW 4.34 2.38  
    Calvert Capital Accumulation Fund Class A (CCAFX) 4.29 1.39  
    Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX) 4.25 1.10  
    Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund (AVEMX) 4.17 1.23  
    Calvert Global Water Fund Class A (CFWAX) 4.02 1.19  
    Parnassus Fund (PARNX) 3.91 1.47  
    Calvert Small Cap Fund Class A (CCVAX) 3.90 1.31  
    Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Institutional (VFTNX) 3.77 1.06  
    VALIC Company II Socially Responsible Fund (VCSRX) 3.70 1.02  
    Calvert Social Index Fund Class I (CISIX) 3.68 1.02  
    DFA U.S. Social Core Equity 2 (DFUEX) 3.66 1.22  
    VALIC Company I Global Social Awareness Fund (VCSOX) 3.60 1.15  
    Calvert International Equity Fund Class A (CWVGX) 3.47 1.26  
    CNI Charter Funds Socially Responsible Equity (AHSRX) 3.37 1.01  
    Domini Social Equity Fund Investor Class (DSEFX) 3.34 1.07  
    Parnassus Small Cap Fund (PARSX) 3.27 1.55  
    iShares MSCI USA ESG Select Scl Index Fund (KLD) 3.25 1.02  
    Calvert Equity Portfolio Class A (CSIEX) 3.25 1.09  
           

 

Low Strength, Low Risk
Fund Score < 3, Below average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds and ETFs      
    Legg Mason Investment Counsel Social Awarenes (SSIAX) 2.87 0.73  
           
  Bond Funds      
    Calvert Ultra-Short Income Fund Class A (CULAX) 2.71 0.05  
    Calvert Short Duration Income Fund Class A (CSDAX) 2.60 0.15  
    Domini Social Bond Fund Investor Class (DSBFX) 2.05 0.17  
    Calvert Income Fund Class A (CFICX) 1.99 0.29  
    Calvert Bond Portfolio Class A (CSIBX) 1.78 0.27  
    Parnassus Fixed Income Fund (PRFIX) 1.74 0.26  
    Calvert Tax-Free Bond Fund Class A (CTTLX) 1.53 0.40  
    Calvert Long-Term Income Fund Class A (CLDAX) 1.18 0.47  
           

 

Low Strength, High Risk
Fund Score < 3, Above average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds and ETFs      
    DFA Emerging Markets Social Core Portfolio (DFESX) 1.73 1.66  
           

  DWA Fund Score: The DWA Fund score ranks the technical strength on a scale of 0 through 6 using an equation based on price trending and relative strength.  Funds with scores above 3 are considered by Dorsey Wright to be “investment grade”.   Funds with scores close to 6 are “market dominant."
  DWA rRisk Score: The DWA rRisk score measures the risk of the group on a relative basis. The calculation uses the 3 year Standard Deviation average of the group or fund divided by the Standard Deviation of the Cap Weighted S&P 500 Equity Index. Ratios higher than 1 demonstrate higher risk than the market benchmark and ratios less than 1 demonstrate lower risk than the market benchmark.

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