Best JP Morgan Mutual Funds Overview
Among the many services it provides, JPMorgan has created and oversees a variety of mutual funds on a
continual basis. These funds can be acquired inside a J.P. Morgan Investing account or at another brokerage firm. Below are four that hold favorable ratings from top analysts in the field:
JPMorgan Large Cap Growth Fund (OLGAX)
First on our list is JPMorgan’s large-cap growth offering. As the name indicates, this mutual fund focuses on growth stocks that have large or sometimes mega-market capitalizations. The fund currently holds 69 stocks, most of which are headquartered in the United States. Some of its key positions include:
Netflix Inc
Tesla Inc
Uber Technologies Inc
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc
Eli Lilly and Co
Salesforce Inc
Mastercard Inc Class A
Broadcom Inc
OLGAX was launched in 1994, providing it with a lengthy track record. Over that period, it has compiled strong results. Its 15-year return stands at 13.7%, while its return since inception is 10.1%. Both figures are annualized.
Morningstar has taken notice of this performance and awards the fund 5 out of 5 stars for its overall and 10-year results. Lipper, another prominent research group, rates it 4 and 5 out of 5 across various time spans.
JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund (JEPAX)
Next on our list is JEPAX, the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund. This fund’s chief aim is reliable income. It achieves this by investing in dividend-paying stocks and employing call options and equity-linked notes (ELNs). Up to 20% of the portfolio may be composed of ELNs.
The secondary objective is growth of principal. The fund can pursue both goals with its stock holdings, which number over 100 and are all U.S.-based. They include:
Adobe Inc
Microsoft Corp
Comcast Corp Class A
Mastercard Inc Class A
Intuit Inc
Accenture PLC Class A
PepsiCo Inc
JPMorgan seems to be doing well at delivering income. Its profile on the J.P. Morgan Investing site shows a 30-day SEC yield of 6.76% and a one-year trailing yield of 9.85%. On that same page, there is an initial investment minimum of $1 (though $1,000 is the official figure), and subsequent contributions also have a $1 minimum.
The fund’s gross expense ratio is 0.88% and its net expense ratio is 0.85%. This ongoing fee may not be the only cost to invest in the fund, as there is a standard front-end load of 5.25% on paper, though it’s waived at J.P. Morgan Investing.
Morningstar gives JEPAX 5 and 4 stars for all timeframes tracked. It notes above average returns for the fund in its category and below average risk.
JPMorgan Core Bond Fund (PGBOX)
JPMorgan also offers more than just equity-focused funds. PGBOX is dedicated to fixed-income instruments. It falls under the intermediate core bond category and has performed quite consistently within that segment. Unlike an index fund, it’s actively managed, with fund managers frequently trading medium- and long-term debt. This approach leads to a somewhat high turnover, coming in at 46% during the most recent assessment.
In general, the fund maintains moderate sensitivity to interest-rate shifts and sticks with mostly investment-grade securities. These holdings may include corporate, agency, sovereign, or mortgage-backed bonds. PGBOX manages more than $40 billion in total.
Since it began in 1992, the fund’s mix of holdings has delivered a 4.70% annualized return (4.57% when adjusted for load). Most of this total return comes from bond interest, and PGBOX currently yields about 3.1%.
Morningstar awards PGBOX 4 out of 5 stars for both its overall and 5-year risk-return balance. The fund is deemed average for return and below average for risk. Lipper’s assessment is much the same, giving PGBOX a 4 for its 3-year and 5-year performance.
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JPMorgan Global Bond Opportunities (GBOAX)
If you prefer a global take on bond investing, there’s GBOAX. This is JPMorgan’s international fixed-income fund, which holds many securities from overseas issuers. Some examples include:
Secretaria Tesouro Nacional 10%
Poland (Republic of) 7.5%
Mexico (United Mexican States) 7.75%
South Africa (Republic of) 8.875%
Mexico (United Mexican States) 8.5%
Indonesia (Republic of) 7%
The fund places at least 40% of its assets in foreign bonds, and at least 80% in both foreign and U.S. bonds. Most of these securities carry a BBB or BB rating.
Morningstar considers its interest-rate sensitivity moderate and its credit quality in the middle range. The analyst group gives GBOAX 4 out of 5 stars for its 10-year, 5-year, and overall performance. Lipper awards the fund a perfect 5 for all periods.
It’s simple to buy or sell GBOAX or any other JPMorgan fund through J.P. Morgan Investing. Just locate the blue trade button on the fund’s page. On the order form, you’ll see options for buying, selling, or exchanging. You can also decide separately how to handle dividends and capital gains, making it possible to reinvest one but not the other.
Load Status of JPMorgan Funds
Within a J.P. Morgan Investing account, there are no transaction fees on any mutual fund brand. However, loads are another matter. All JPMorgan funds accessible to everyday investors carry loads in their official documents. Load-free share classes typically require very large minimum investments, such as $1 million, or are reserved for advisory or institutional investors. A standard retail share class will either have a front-end load (class A) or a back-end load (class C). Certain brokerages (including J.P. Morgan Investing) may choose to waive loads on some of these funds, so do your due diligence before investing.
Researching JPMorgan Funds
Numerous brokerages offer online search tools that allow filtering by fund family. On the J.P. Morgan Investing site, we used the broker’s screener to look solely for JPMorgan funds and found 79 in total. This screener is located on the mutual-fund page under the Investments menu near the top of the webpage.
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Updated on 3/3/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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