This simple screen finds the rare funds built to be permanent, cheap, and fairly valued right now.
The S&P 500 has been on a rapid run, a run that makes it easy to ignore the fine print
In a chase for returns, investors often end up in funds that are too expensive, too volatile, or bought at a valuation peak, turning a good market into a poor personal outcome. This Screen Demands Discipline. It looks for the rare combination of permanence, price, performance, and prudence.
Out of 131 US-focused equity ETFs on our scorecard, just 12 funds clear every bar: they must be large enough to last, cheap enough to hold forever, show no evidence of a skill deficit, and trade at a reasonable valuation compared to their own history. The table below shows the top qualifiers, ranked by the assets they manage. Of the 12 funds that qualify, the table shows the five largest by assets under management.