Find Mutual Fund Analyst Reports

In an ever-changing financial world, the analyst is often the voice of reason. We live in a competitive era of hyperbole, so to have a neutral voice standing out from the noise is imperative for the investor, whether investing with an advisor or on one's own. If you're looking at investing in mutual funds, in particular, reading analyst reports can be extremely helpful.

Understand fully what the role of an analyst is. In theory, an analyst takes information from records that are fully public and asks pointed questions of a mutual fund manager in a public conference call. The mutual fund analyst then uses his or her financial and statistical background to rate the performance and to make predictions or forecasts about a particular fund.

Get online and head to Morningstar (a link to which can be found in the Resources section below) for some of the best mutual fund analyst reports in the business.

Search the Internet for mutual fund analyst reports. You will find more opportunities for analyst reports.

Head to your local library if you prefer searching through printed copies of analyst reports. Most larger libraries carry these in the public interest.

Tips & Warnings

• Some Web sites offer a premium service when you pay an annual fee. Morningstar is a highly respected barometer of the financial world with just such an offer. You may consider making this small investment upfront to have quality information at your fingertips.
• Morningstar and other services often offer a free trial period, so look out for these offers.
• If you've signed up for a free trial with one of the analyst Web sites but don't intend to continue the service after the trial period, be very aware of the steps to cancel it. If you don't act, you will be billed for the annual fee.
• Remember that an analyst is not a fortune-teller or your own personal advisor. Bring your own best judgment to the table, as well.
• A big controversy within the analyst world is the potential conflict of interest that some analysts have when their company also provides brokerage services. For this reason, it helps to compare and contrast the thoughts of several analyst reports before deciding on one mutual fund.