Question about Morningstar Reports

[wyecrabber1]

I'm reviewing our funds to with an eye on realigning the asset allocation. As an example, I'm reviewing a fund in DW 401K retirement account. When I go to the Transamerica website and look at one of her funds; Vanguard Inst Index [VIIIX] it reports the following fund performance:

Transamerica Report YTD: 9.78 as of 11/30/16
1 Year: 15.43 as of 9/30/16
3 Year: 11.16
5 Year: 16.32
10 Year: 7.26

When I go the Morningstar and review the VIIIX fund, the following is listed:

Morningstar Report YTD: 10.47 as of 12/6/16
1 Year: 8.10 as of 12/6/16
3 Year: 9.29
5 Year: 14.37
10 Year: 6.88

When I dig deeper, and look at the Total Trailing Returns for VIIIX, these values are also different.

Morningstar Report YTD: 11.94 as of 12/6/16
1 Year: 10.31 as of 12/6/16
3 Year: 9.77
5 Year: 14.62
10 Year: 7.07

In some cases these differences are small, and other times not so small. I'm guessing the Transamerica report includes capital gains and dividends. Which performance value would you use.

Thanks!!!

 

[audreyh1]

I'm reviewing our funds to with an eye on realigning the asset allocation. As an example, I'm reviewing a fund in DW 401K retirement account. When I go to the Transamerica website and look at one of her funds; Vanguard Inst Index [VIIIX] it reports the following fund performance:

Transamerica Report YTD: 9.78 as of 11/30/16
1 Year: 15.43 as of 9/30/16
3 Year: 11.16
5 Year: 16.32
10 Year: 7.26

When I go the Morningstar and review the VIIIX fund, the following is listed:

Morningstar Report YTD: 10.47 as of 12/6/16
1 Year: 8.10 as of 12/6/16
3 Year: 9.29
5 Year: 14.37
10 Year: 6.88

When I dig deeper, and look at the Total Trailing Returns for VIIIX, these values are also different.

Morningstar Report YTD: 11.94 as of 12/6/16
1 Year: 10.31 as of 12/6/16
3 Year: 9.77
5 Year: 14.62
10 Year: 7.07

In some cases these differences are small, and other times not so small. I'm guessing the Transamerica report includes capital gains and dividends. Which performance value would you use.

Thanks!!!

If there was a very recent distribution, the Morningstar report perhaps hasn't caught up? Although they are usually very timely. The Morningstar reports DO include capital gains and divs. I don't think Vanguard funds had a distribution yet - so that's not it.

Notice that your end dates are different. That can make a huge difference. You can probably find the 11/30/16 dates on M* under the performance tab. TransAmerica is using 9/30/16 for their 1 year end date?

I looked - M* growth of 10,000 table and chart gives 9.78 for 11/30/16 YTD. Exactly same number as TransAmerica for 11/30/16.

If the other (year or more) numbers are based on 9/30/16 they are way out of date - that's the discrepancy. Hmmmm - I think TransAmerica is simply pulling those numbers off the Vanguard site. Vanguard is only updating performance numbers monthly and quarterly while Morningstar is calculating them daily for you. But Vanguard does give the multi year numbers for both 11/30/16 and 9/30/16. Take a look at the Vanguard site.

It's up to you whether to use 11/30 or a more recent date.