The Ariel Investor Fund (ARGFX) edged back up in fund score in January to take the lead among the SRI equity universe. 

ARGFX has been a top scoring fund over the past 12 months, and at the start of 2015, it is the official leader with a score of 5.65. The next leader in this space is the Parnassus Core Equity Fund (PRILX), which is trading at a 5.60 and has shared time as the fund-score leader over the recent months. 

Another U.S. fund with a strong score is the Pax World Small Cap Fund (PXSCX), posting a score of 5.20.  Considering the small-cap score average in the U.S. is 3.42, this fund is a well above the average peer in the Small Cap space.  International funds continue to provide no competition to the US assets.

The best score for International diverse investing belongs to the Domini International Social Equity Fund (DOMAX), which is scoring at a 2.62, some 3 points below the US leader. 

Fixed-income funds still demonstrate impressive relative scores. The top position is the Calvert Bond Portfolio (CSIBX), as its score has moved up this year and is now holding steady at 3.85 points. Other fixed income names to investigate are the Parnassus Fixed Income Fund (PRFIX) and the Ave Maria Bond Fund (AVEFX).  All in all, after a strong 2014, SRI funds are providing stiff completion to non-SRI funds, so investors have plenty of strong SRI funds to choose from.


High Strength, Low Risk
Fund Score > 3, Below average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds And ETFs      
    Parnassus Core Equity Fund (PRILX) 5.60 0.97  
    Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX) 4.62 0.98  
    Ave Maria Rising Dividend Fund (AVEDX) 4.37 0.95  
    Calvert Moderate Allocation Fund Class A (CMAAX) 3.43 0.77  
    Calvert Balanced Portfolio Class A (CSIFX) 3.42 0.64  
    Calvert Conservative Allocation Fund Class A (CCLAX) 3.38 0.48  
    Legg Mason Investment Counsel Social Awareness Fun (SSIAX) 3.36 0.72  
    Pax World Balanced Individual Investor Class Fund (PAXWX) 3.34 0.79  
  Bond Funds      
    Calvert Bond Portfolio Class A (CSIBX) 3.85 0.38  
    Calvert Income Fund Class A (CFICX) 3.51 0.40  
    Calvert Tax-Free Bond Fund Class A (CTTLX) 3.38 0.49  
    Ave Maria Bond Fund (AVEFX) 3.08 0.22  
    Domini Social Bond Fund Investor Class (DSBFX) 3.01 0.23  
           

 

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) 5.65 1.49  
    Pax World Small Cap Fund Individual Investor Class (PXSCX) 5.20 1.09  
    Parnassus Endeavor Fund (PARWX) 4.94 1.04  
    Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Institutional Shar (VFTNX) 4.67 1.08  
    Parnassus Fund (PARNX) 4.65 1.32  
    Ave Maria Growth Fund (AVEGX) 4.51 1.11  
    Neuberger Berman Socially Responsive Fund Investor (NBSRX) 4.49 1.14  
    Pax World Growth Fund Individual Investor Class (PXWGX) 4.44 1.13  
    Calvert Large Cap Value Fund Class A (CLVAX) 4.04 1.05  
    VALIC Company II Socially Responsible Fund (VCSRX) 3.76 1.02  
    Calvert Social Index Fund Class I (CISIX) 3.74 1.05  
    Calvert Equity Portfolio Class A (CSIEX) 3.72 1.10  
    Domini Social Equity Fund Investor Class (DSEFX) 3.71 1.13  
    Calvert Small Cap Fund Class A (CCVAX) 3.64 1.33  
    iShares MSCI USA ESG Select Scl Indx Fnd: NYSEARCA - KLD 3.60 1.03  
    TIAA-CREF Social Choice Equity Fund Institutional (TISCX) 3.56 1.05  
    iShares FTSE KLD 400 Social Idx Fd (ETF): NYSEARCA - DSI 3.55 1.01  
    VALIC Company I Global Social Awareness Fund (VCSOX) 3.51 1.15  
    Ave Maria Growth Fund (AVEGX) 3.67 1.18  
    VALIC Company I Global Social Awareness Fund (VCSOX) 3.62 1.15  
    Calvert Large Cap Core Portfolio Class A (CMIFX) 3.51 1.03  
    Calvert Capital Accumulation Fund Class A (CCAFX) 3.30 1.27  
    Walden Equity Fund (WSEFX) 3.29 1.01  
    DFA U.S. Social Core Equity 2 (DFUEX) 3.17 1.17  
    City National Rochdale Socially Responsible Equity (AHSRX) 3.22 1.00  
    Parnassus Small Cap Fund (PARSX) 3.03 1.61  
           

 

Low Strength, Low Risk
Fund Score < 3, Below average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Equity Funds and ETFs      
    TIAA-CREF Social Choice Bond Fund Retail Class (TSBRX) 2.57 0.35  
    City National Rochdale Socially Responsible Equity (AHSRX) 2.49 1.00  
  Bond Funds      
    Parnassus Fixed Income Fund (PRFIX) 2.83 0.31  
    Calvert Short Duration Income Fund Class A (CSDAX) 1.96 0.18  
    Calvert High Yield Bond Fund Class A (CYBAX) 1.92 0.45  
    Calvert Ultra-Short Income Fund Class A (CULAX) 1.77 0.05  
    Pax World High Yield Bond Fund Individual Investor (PAXHX) 1.14 0.49  
           

 

Low Strength, High Risk
Fund Score < 3, Above average volatility
           
    Name DWA Fund Score DWA rRisk Score  
  Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund (AVEMX) 2.76 1.19  
  Domini International Social Equity Fund Class A (DOMAX) 2.62 1.44  
  DFA Emerging Markets Social Core Portfolio (DFESX) 2.50 1.59  
  Parnassus Small Cap Fund (PARSX) 2.16 1.57  
  Calvert International Equity Fund Class A (CWVGX) 1.94 1.30  
  Appleseed Fund (APPLX) 1.87 1.09  
  Calvert Global Water Fund Class A (CFWAX) 1.74 1.38  
  Calvert International Opportunities Fund Class A (CIOAX) 1.72 1.40  
  Pax World Global Environmental Markets Fund Instit (PGINX) 1.59 1.27  
  Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund Class A (CGAEX) 1.40 1.78  
  DFA CSTG&E International Social Core Equity Portfo (DFCCX) 1.24 1.50  
  DFA International Social Core Equity Portfolio Ins (DSCLX) 1.20 1.29  
  Pax MSCI International ESG Index Fund Individual I (PXINX) 0.54 1.50  
  PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy(ETF): NYSEARCA - PBW 0.16 2.86  

 

Benjamin Jones is a senior analyst and Steven Raymond a vice president for Dorsey, Wright & Associates, an independent and privately owned registered investment advisory firm based in Richmond, Va.

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