MSPIX vs NSMMX Fund Comparison

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

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Minafi's Take on MSPIX vs NSMMX

Here's an in depth look at the differences between MainStay MacKay S&P 500 Index Fund Class I($MSPIX) and Columbia Short Term Municipal Bond Fund Class A($NSMMX).

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.

  • mspix
  • Mutual Fund
  • US Stocks
  • Large Blend

MainStay MacKay S&P 500 Index Fund Class I

Expenses: 0.29% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Large Blend US Stocks fund. See why »

  • nsmmx
  • Mutual Fund
  • Bond
  • Municipal Bond

Columbia Short Term Municipal Bond Fund Class A

Expenses: 0.66% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Municipal Bond Bond fund. See why »

Both $MSPIX and $NSMMX 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.

MSPIXNSMMX
Market Score 5.7 /10 5.4 /10
Category Score 10.0 /10 8.0 /10
Total15.713.4

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: $MSPIX

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, MSPIX has an expense ratio of 0.29% while NSMMX has an expense ratio of 0.66%.

Winner: $MSPIX

Fund Size Comparison

Both MSPIX and NSMMX have a similar number of assets under management. MSPIX has 976 Million in assets under management, while NSMMX has 744 Million.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as medium 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? MSPIX or NSMMX?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. MSPIX is a US StocksLarge Blend fund, while NSMMX is a BondMunicipal Bond 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 MSPIX a score of 72 and NSMMX a score of 55.

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

$MSPIX

MainStay MacKay S&P 500 Index Fund Class I

72

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Expense Ratio Score8/10
Expense Rating7/10
Market Score6/10
Category Score10/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeMutual Fund
Inception DateJan-2-1991
ExchangeNMFQS
Expense Ratio0.290%
Net Assets976 Million
Yield2.06%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketUS Stocks
CategoryLarge Blend
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 2.09%
  • Communication Services 10.73%
  • Consumer Cyclical 9.62%
  • Consumer Defensive 8.15%
  • Energy 2.65%
  • Financial Services 13.72%
  • Healthcare 15.54%
  • Industrials 8.72%
  • Real Estate 3.00%
  • Technology 22.19%
  • Utilities 3.58%
Regions
  • Asia Developed 0.05%
  • Europe Developed 0.56%
  • Europe Emerging 0.01%
  • North America 98.73%
  • United Kingdom 0.64%

$NSMMX

Columbia Short Term Municipal Bond Fund Class A

55

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Expense Ratio Score7/10
Expense Rating3/10
Market Score5/10
Category Score8/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeMutual Fund
Inception DateOct-7-1993
ExchangeNMFQS
Expense Ratio0.660%
Net Assets744 Million
Yield1.47%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketBond
CategoryMunicipal Bond
Sectors
  • Advance Refunded 4.21%
  • Cash & Equivalents 10.66%
  • Education 9.12%
  • Health 9.38%
  • Housing 9.38%
  • Industrial 3.06%
  • Miscellaneous Revenue 2.32%
  • Municipal 89.33%
  • Other 0.01%
  • State and Local General Obligation 16.99%
  • Tobacco 0.15%
  • Transportation 19.03%
  • Utilities 12.23%
  • Water & Sewer 3.46%

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