10 Questions With Parnassus Equity Income's Todd Ahlsten

"Consequences, schmonsequences, as long as I'm rich," Daffy Duck observed famously.

Even for investors concerned about "ethical investing" -- a seeming oxymoron to some -- few are getting rich these days. This makes the (PRBLX Quote)Parnassus Equity Income, a "socially responsible" fund, a gem of an offering.

Yes, it's one of those funds. Socially responsible funds take their lumps from the media. The two big criticisms: 1. "Social responsibility" is a Rorschach term that means varied things to different people. 2. Any way you define socially responsible, this batch of funds doesn't always beat the market. However, the Parnassus Equity Income has managed a 10.09% average annual return for the past five years, trouncing 99% of its large-cap peers and the S&P by nine percentage points. Surely, the fund's holders feel good about doing good. ...