Should You Add These 3 Top-Performing Mutual Funds to Your Portfolio?

It is never too late to invest in mutual funds for retirement. As such, if you plan to invest in some of the best funds, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank can provide you with valuable guidance.

The easiest way to judge a mutual fund's quality over time is by analyzing its performance, diversification, and fees. Using the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of over 19,000 mutual funds, we've identified three outstanding mutual funds that are ideally suited to help long-term investors pursue and achieve their retirement investing goals.

Let's break down some of the mutual funds with the top Zacks Mutual Fund Rank and the lowest fees.

Artisan Global Value Advisor (APDGX): 1.1% expense ratio and 0.98% management fee. APDGX is a Global - Equity mutual fund. These funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations With annual returns of 12% over the last five years, this fund is a winner.

Columbia Seligman Global Technology Z (CSGZX): 1% expense ratio and 0.91% management fee. With a much more diversified approach, CSGZX--part of the Sector - Tech mutual fund category--gives investors a way to own a stake in the notoriously risky tech sector. CSGZX, with annual returns of 23.07% over the last five years, is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.

Sterling Capital SmallCap Value Ins (STSCX). Expense ratio: 1.06%. Management fee: 0.75%. Five year annual return: 10.96%. STSCX is a Small Cap Value mutual fund, investing in small companies with stock market valuation less than $2 billion.

These examples highlight the fact that there are some astonishingly good mutual funds out there. If your advisor has you in the good ones, bravo! If not, you may need to have a talk.

7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days

Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."

Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.9% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. 

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research