info
Some of our associates in Southern California are affected by the widespread wildfires. We are focused on ensuring that our associates who live in evacuation zones are safe and are saddened by the devastating impact to our Los Angeles communities. At this time, all of our offices are open and all investment operations are running normally. We will update this notice if needed, but we are confident that we will not experience any business impact from the wildfires. Please note that in observance of the National Day of Mourning to honor former President James Earl Carter, Jr., on Thursday, January 9, the New York Stock Exchange and Capital Group will be closed.

RETIREMENT PLANS

Seven American Funds among Morningstar’s “Thrilling 36”

All seven are building blocks of our target date series

Out of 15,000 fund share classes, only 36 were deemed “Thrilling” by Morningstar —

Graphic shows that out of 15,000 fund share classes surveyed, only 36 made Morningstar’s “Thrilling” list, with 7 from American Funds.

And 7 of those are American Funds*

Funds were selected based on what Morningstar believes are “high standards on the most important factors,” 9 tests assessing returns, expenses, risk, analyst ratings and more. Less than a quarter of 1% made the final cut.

Share this story with clients:

DOWNLOAD PDF

More “Thrilling 36” underlying funds than any other target date series

Nine of the “Thrilling 36” are also underlying funds among the 4 largest target date series providers.

Seven of these 9 are in American Funds Target Date Retirement Series®*

Graph shows American Funds’ target date series has 7 Morningstar “Thrilling” strategies. T. Rowe Price’s has 1, Fidelity's 1 and Vanguard's 0.

In evaluating target date funds, investors should consider how the various features of each fund, including the underlying funds, investment results, expenses and glide path construction, apply to their personal situation.

Passive funds are not managed to generate returns that exceed their benchmarks, so target date funds that have only passive underlying investments likely will not have funds on the Morningstar “Thrilling” list.

Source for largest target date series: Morningstar, as defined by mutual fund assets as of September 30, 2024.

Assess target date series

See how our series compares with others.

COMPARE

Use of Target Date ProView may be subject to approval by your home office.

“Thrilling” underlying funds

“Thrilling” funds in each American Funds Target Date Retirement Series vintage*

For more information, select the name of each fund.

The Growth Fund of America is in every American Funds Target Date Retirement Series vintage except the 2010, 2015 and 2020 funds.
New Perspective Fund is in every American Funds Target Date Retirement Series vintage except the 2010, 2015 and 2020 funds.
American Mutual Fund is in every vintage (2010 through 2070).
The New Economy Fund is in every vintage except 2010, 2015, 2020, 2025 and 2030 funds.
American Balanced Fund is in every vintage (2010 through 2070).
The Income Fund of America is in every vintage except the 2055, 2060, 2065 and 2070 funds.
Capital Income Builder is in every vintage except the 2055, 2060, 2065 and 2070 funds.

As of September 30, 2024.

American Funds Target Date Retirement Series

Discover what sets our series apart

 

LEARN MORE

5 things to look for when choosing a target date series

Explore the metrics that matter

 

LEARN MORE

*Source: Morningstar,  “The Thrilling 36” by Russel Kinnel, August 20, 2024. Morningstar’s screening took into consideration expense ratios, manager ownership, returns over manager’s tenure, and Morningstar Risk, Medalist and Parent ratings. The universe was limited to share classes accessible to individual investors with a minimum investment no greater than $50,000, did not include funds of funds and had been rated by Morningstar analysts. Class A shares were evaluated for American Funds. American Funds Target Date Retirement Series invests in Class R-6 shares of the underlying American Funds. Not all “Thrilling” American Funds are in each target date fund. Underlying funds may change over time. Visit morningstar.com for more details.

The Morningstar average expense ratios are based on fund statistics for each fund's prospectus available at the time of publication. The expense ratio is one aspect of plan fees and expenses.

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.
Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses and summary prospectuses, which can be obtained from a financial professional and should be read carefully before investing.
Lower rated bonds are subject to greater fluctuations in value and risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated bonds.
The return of principal for bond portfolios and for portfolios with significant underlying bond holdings is not guaranteed. Investments are subject to the same interest rate, inflation and credit risks associated with the underlying bond holdings.
Investing outside the United States involves risks, such as currency fluctuations, periods of illiquidity and price volatility. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in developing countries.
Smaller company stocks entail additional risks, and they can fluctuate in price more than larger company stocks.
Although the target date portfolios are managed for investors on a projected retirement date time frame, the allocation strategy does not guarantee that investors' retirement goals will be met. Investment professionals manage the portfolio, moving it from a more growth-oriented strategy to a more income-oriented focus as the target date gets closer. The target date is the year that corresponds roughly to the year in which an investor is assumed to retire and begin taking withdrawals. Investment professionals continue to manage each portfolio for approximately 30 years after it reaches its target date.
All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All other company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.
Use of this website is intended for U.S. residents only. Use of this website and materials is also subject to approval by your home office.
Capital Client Group, Inc.
This content, developed by Capital Group, home of American Funds, should not be used as a primary basis for investment decisions and is not intended to serve as impartial investment or fiduciary advice.
© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some of the information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar, its content providers nor Capital Group are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Information is calculated by Morningstar. Due to differing calculation methods, the figures shown here may differ from those calculated by Capital Group.