FLBDX vs HHCZX Fund Comparison

A comparison between FLBDX and HHCZX based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on FLBDX vs HHCZX

Here's an in depth look at the differences between Meeder Total Return Bond Fund Retail Class ($FLBDX) and Highland Healthcare Opportunities Fund Class Z ($HHCZX).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

23% FI Score
  • flbdx
  • Mutual Fund
  • Bond
  • Total US Bond Market

Meeder Total Return Bond Fund Retail Class

Expenses: 1.14% (Better than 0% of similar funds)

This is a bad choice for a Total US Bond Market Bond fund. See why »

24% FI Score
  • hhczx
  • Mutual Fund
  • Alternatives
  • Short

Highland Healthcare Opportunities Fund Class Z

Expenses: 1.89% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is a bad choice for a Short Alternatives fund. See why »

Both $FLBDX and $HHCZX are categorized as Mutual Funds. Mutual funds are often offered by 401(k) platforms and are essentially the same as ETFs. Mutual funds are generally offered by an investment platform – Fidelity has Fidelity mutual funds, Vanguard has Vanguard mutual funds. Mutual funds are ideal for retirement investing since you can invest any amount. That allows you to invest every last cent and benefit from the market.

The biggest disadvantage of mutual funds is that you're usually limited to the funds on your investment platform. If you're investing on Fidelity, you'll want to pick Fidelity mutual funds (or any ETF). Same with Vanguard. Some platforms offer mutual funds from other platforms, but they may charge a purchse or redemption fee. I'd recommend using the same platform as your funds – or stick to ETFs.

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

FLBDX HHCZX
Market Score 1.0 /10 2.9 /10
Category Score 10.0 /10 0.0 /10
Total 11.0 2.9

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

Winner: $FLBDX

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, FLBDX has an expense ratio of 1.14% while HHCZX has an expense ratio of 1.89%.

Winner: $FLBDX

Fund Size Comparison

Both FLBDX and HHCZX have a similar number of assets under management. FLBDX has 62 Million in assets under management, while HHCZX has 25.8 Million.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as small funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? FLBDX or HHCZX?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. FLBDX is a Bond Total US Bond Market fund, while HHCZX is a Alternatives Short fund.

If you're aiming to build a diversified, low-fee, tax-optimized portfolio you likely won't be choosing between these two funds since they're different enough.

Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives FLBDX a score of 23 and HHCZX a score of 24.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$FLBDX

Meeder Total Return Bond Fund Retail Class

23

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Expense Ratio Score 3 /10
Expense Rating 0 /10
Market Score 1 /10
Category Score 10 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type Mutual Fund
Inception Date Jun-30-2011
Exchange NMFQS
Expense Ratio 1.140%
Net Assets 62 Million
Yield 2.00%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Bond
Category Total US Bond Market
Sectors
  • Cash & Equivalents 5.72%
  • Corporate 30.36%
  • Government 41.94%
  • Municipal 0.93%
  • Other 0.01%
  • Securitized 20.98%

$HHCZX

Highland Healthcare Opportunities Fund Class Z

24

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Expense Ratio Score 6 /10
Expense Rating 0 /10
Market Score 3 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type Mutual Fund
Inception Date May-5-2008
Exchange NMFQS
Expense Ratio 1.890%
Net Assets 25.8 Million
Yield 0.00%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Alternatives
Category Short
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 1.48%
  • Communication Services 0.00%
  • Consumer Cyclical 0.00%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 98.52%
  • Industrials 0.00%
  • Real Estate 0.00%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 0.00%
Regions
  • Africa/Middle East 0.19%
  • Asia Emerging 2.66%
  • Europe Developed 1.19%
  • Japan 2.15%
  • Latin America 0.82%
  • North America 93.00%

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