Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

In ranking mutual and exchange-traded funds, our aim is to measure manager skill, independent of expenses beyond annual management fees. That is why we calculate returns before any 12b-1 fees are deducted. Similarly, fund loads, or sales charges, aren’t included in our calculation of returns.

Each fund’s performance is measured against all of the other funds in its LSEG Lipper category, with a percentile ranking of 100 being the highest and one the lowest. This result is then weighted by asset size relative to the fund family’s other assets in its general classification. If a family’s biggest funds do well, that boosts its overall ranking, and vice versa.

To be included in the ranking, a firm must have at least three funds in the general equity category, one in world equity, one in mixed equity such as a balanced or target-date fund, two taxable bond funds, and one national tax-exempt bond fund.

Single-sector and country equity funds are factored into the rankings as general equity. We exclude all index funds but include actively managed ETFs and so-called smart-beta ETFs, which are passively managed but created from active strategies.

Finally, the score is multiplied by the weighting of its general classification, as determined by the Lipper universe of funds. The category weightings for 2024 were general equity, 39.1%; mixed asset, 21.6%; world equity, 15.3%; taxable bond, 20.1%; and tax-exempt bond, 3.9%. The category weightings for the five-year results were general equity, 39%; mixed asset, 21. 7%; world equity, 15.3%; taxable bond, 19.9%; and tax-exempt bond, 4%. For the 10-year list, they were general equity, 40%; mixed asset, 22.1%; world equity, 14.8%; taxable bond, 19.2%; and tax-exempt bond, 3.9%. The weightings may not total 100 due to rounding.

Thrivent financial professionals are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Thrivent Investment Management Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker/dealer, and a member FINRA and SIPC and a subsidiary of Thrivent, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.