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Thurman L. Smith is the editor of Equity Fund Outlook (EquityFundOutlook.com), and has been managing client accounts with funds since 1982. He has an MBA in finance and investments from Babson College, and authored Investors CAN Beat Inflation in 1980.

Previously, Thurman Smith spent 12 years developing investment research applications at State Street Band, Loomis Sayles, and Fidelity Investments. While managing client accounts, he realized that he needed more powerful analytical tools than were available from existing services. Thurman Smith independently developed a database and software to analyze reward/risk characteristics of equity funds. He decided to share this analysis with others by launching Equity Fund Outlook in 1988.

Equity Fund Outlook's goal is to find the best-managed funds, by comparing the performance of 275 of the best no- or low-load growth funds in both up- and down-periods against the broad market. With a relative up- and down-market score for each fund, Equity Fund Outlook then divides their up-score by their down-score to get a reward-risk ratio, which they call the "Investment Skill Quotient". The up, down, and Investment Skill Quotient scores, and other factors, are used to give a fresh rating each month for each fund.

Two model portfolios are maintained: a Tax-Advantaged portfolio for IRA, Keogh-type accounts, and a Taxable portfolio for other personal assets. A market risk stance is assumed for each portfolio, but there is more activity in the Tax-Advantaged portfolio, and only tax-efficient funds in the Taxable portfolio. Each portfolio usually has 8 funds. Assets of $25,000 or more are sufficient to follow either portfolio.

Equity Fund Research
P.O. Box 76
Boston, MA 02117
info@equityfundoutlook.com
1-800-982-0055

The above description was assembled using information from the publisher's site. All registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.

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