TheStreet.com Ratings has initiated coverage of 71 open-end mutual funds that accrued a track record of three years of risk and performance data by the end of August.
Twenty-three of the funds scored a "buy" rating of B- or better, outperforming at least 70% of the open-end stock funds we rate. Four funds received our top rating of A+. Of these, two target mid-cap stocks, one invests in non-US equities, and one focuses on smaller growth stocks. The A+ rated (FIIMX Quote)Fidelity Advisor Mid Cap II Fund (FIIMX), launched on August 12, 2004, returned an average 20.8% over the last three years. Some notable holdings include Juniper Networks (JNPR Quote), Altera(ALTR Quote) and Ameriprise Financial (AMP Quote). The second mid-cap fund starting off with an A+ rating is the (CMVRX Quote)Columbia Mid Cap Value Fund (CMVRX). The fund prefers stocks with good long-term growth potential and market capitalizations between $1.4 billion and $13.4 billion. The sector allocation for this fund is 12.5% electric, 10.3% banks, 9.6% insurance, 5.0% manufacturing, 4.6% REITS, and 4.1% electronics with no individual holding making up more than 2% of total investments. Entergy(ETR Quote), PPL(PPL Quote) and American Electric Power (AEP Quote) are among the largest holdings. Both of the above funds have proven to be strong performers worthy of consideration for investors looking to diversify their portfolio into U.S. mid cap stocks. If you have enough U.S. exposure and are looking for a top performing non-U.S. equity fund, take a look at the A+ rated (CIERX Quote)Columbia Multi-Advisor International Equity Fund (CIERX). It allocates 18.6% of assets to the U.K., along with 14.1% for France, 11.0% for Switzerland, 10.6% for Japan, and 9.1% for Germany. Last, the A+ rated (PREOX Quote)Perritt Emerging Opportunities Fund (PREOX) favors U.S. stocks of companies with market capitalizations below $350 million, a high percentage of management ownership, low long-term debt, above average earnings growth and moderate price valuation ratios. As of the end of last year, its top holdings were Mfri(MFRI Quote), KSW(KSW Quote) and Universal Stainless & Alloy Products (USAP Quote). Research Methodology TheStreet.com Ratings condenses the available fund performance and risk data into a single composite opinion of each fund's risk-adjusted performance. This allows the unbiased identification of those funds that have historically done well and those that have underperformed the market. While there is no guarantee of future performance, these Investment Ratings provide a solid framework for making informed, timely investment decisions. The funds listed below have either reached their three year anniversary or are additional share classes of existing funds for which the fund companies have submitted three years of pro-forma results. The 23 funds rated from A+ down to B- are considered "Buy" rated based on a track record of above average risk-adjusted performance.| 'Buy' Rated New Coverage of Open-End Mutual Funds as of Aug. 31, 2007
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| Fund | Ticker | Initial Rating | Inception Date | Investment Style |
| Fidelity Adv Mid Cap II I | FIIMX | A+ | 8/12/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Columbia Mid Cap Value Fd R | CMVRX | A+ | 1/23/2006 | Mid Cap |
| Columbia Multi Adv Intl Eq Fd R | CIERX | A+ | 1/23/2006 | Non-US Equity |
| Perritt Emerging Opportunities Fund | PREOX | A+ | 8/27/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| American Century Mid Cap Val Inst | AVUAX | A | 8/2/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Fidelity Adv Mid Cap II B | FIIBX | A | 8/12/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Fidelity Adv Mid Cap II C | FIICX | A | 8/12/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Fidelity Adv Mid Cap II T | FITIX | A | 8/12/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Columbia Mid Cap Growth Fund R | CMGRX | A- | 1/23/2006 | Mid Cap |
| Fidelity Adv Mid Cap II A | FIIAX | A- | 8/12/2004 | Mid Cap |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Aggress Alloc Fd Y | IBAYX | B+ | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Cambiar Conquistador Fund Inv | CAMSX | B+ | 8/31/2004 | Small Cap |
| Franklin Templeton Persptv Allc Adv | No Ticker | B+ | 8/2/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Franklin Templeton Persptv Allc R | No Ticker | B | 8/2/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Growth & Income | ARYRX | B | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2025 Inst | ARWFX | B | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Aggress Alloc Fd A | PIAAX | B | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Gr Alloc Y | IBGYX | B | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Franklin Templeton Persptv Allc C | FPCAX | B- | 8/2/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Columbia Small Cap Value Fund II R | CCTRX | B- | 1/23/2006 | Small Cap |
| American Century LStrong 2025 Inv | ARWIX | B- | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2025 Adv | ARWAX | B- | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Aggress Alloc Fd B | IALBX | B- | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation -- Domestic |
| Source: TheStreet.com Ratings | ||||
| 44 New 'Hold' Ratings at the C Level as of Aug. 31, 2007 |
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| Fund | Ticker | Initial Rating | Inception Date | Investment Style |
| American Century LStrong 2045 Adv | AROAX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2045 Inst | AOOIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2045 Inv | AROIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2045 R | ARORX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2035 Inst | ARLIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2035 Inv | ARYIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2025 R | ARWRX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2015 Inst | ARNIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2015 Inv | ARFIX | C+ | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Franklin Templeton Persptv Allc A | FPAAX | C+ | 8/2/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Hotchkis and Wiley Core Value I | HWCIX | C+ | 8/30/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| ING JPMorgan Sm Cap Eq Port A | IJSAX | C+ | 8/12/2004 | Small Cap |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Mod Alloc Fd Y | IMOYX | C+ | 9/23/2005 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 100% Equity 4 | No Ticker | C+ | 8/27/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Moderate Port 4 | No Ticker | C+ | 8/27/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Aggress Alloc Fd C | IALCX | C+ | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Bal Port 4 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Oppenheimer 529 Moderate Port 2 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Moderate Port 3 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 100% Equity 2 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 100% Equity 3 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Agg Port 4 | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Aggressive Growth |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Gr Alloc A | GRAAX | C | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Gr Alloc B | GRABX | C | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Gr Alloc C | GRACX | C | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Mod Alloc Fd B | PIBLX | C | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Mod Alloc Fd C | PIDCX | C | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Moderate Port A | No Ticker | C | 8/27/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2015 R | ARFRX | C | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2015 Adv | ARFAX | C | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong 2035 Adv | ARYAX | C | 8/31/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong Inc I | ATTIX | C | 8/31/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Oppenheimer 529 Bal Port A | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Oppenheimer 529 100% Equity A | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| Oppenheimer 529 Agg Port 2 | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Aggressive Growth |
| Oppenheimer 529 Agg Port 3 | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Aggressive Growth |
| Oppenheimer 529 Bal Port 2 | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Oppenheimer 529 Bal Port 3 | No Ticker | C- | 8/27/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Pioneer Ibbotson Mod Alloc Fd A | PIALX | C- | 8/9/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| Hotchkis and Wiley Core Value A | HWCAX | C- | 8/30/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| Hotchkis and Wiley Core Value C | HWCCX | C- | 8/30/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| American Century LStrong Inc Adv | ARTAX | C- | 8/31/2004 | Growth & Income |
| American Century LStrong Inc Inv | ARTOX | C- | 8/31/2004 | Growth & Income |
| American Century LStrong Inc R | ARSRX | C- | 8/31/2004 | Growth & Income |
| Source: TheStreet.com Ratings | ||||
| Four New 'Sell' Ratings at the D and E Levels as of Aug. 31, 2007 |
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| Fund | Ticker | Initial Rating | Inception Date | Investment Style |
| Oppenheimer 529 Agg Port A | No Ticker | D+ | 8/27/2004 | Aggressive Growth |
| Oppenheimer 529 Conservative Port A | No Ticker | D+ | 8/27/2004 | Asset Allocation - Domestic |
| ING Large Cap Value Fd I | IVLIX | D | 8/2/2004 | Growth - Domestic |
| ING Financial Services C | PBCCX | D- | 8/24/2004 | Sector - Financial Services |
| Source: TheStreet.com Ratings | ||||
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