Investors can talk all day about taking a flyer on a sexy biotech stock, a down-and-out industrial or even, say, bitcoin—heck, I spent a lot more time talking about bitcoin than I expected to last month. Some may gamble with a few dollars here and there.
But when it comes to the core of your portfolio and the bulk of your hard-earned savings, there’s nothing an investor should want more than to generate reliable growth and maybe some income. This is where spending time in the market, diversification, and keeping costs low while you build wealth really come into play. To that end, you want to own large, stable, name-brand companies that will compound earnings and your wealth over time. This is not where you want any surprises.
Or at least, that’s how I think about the core of my portfolio. If you agree, Vanguard’s growth and income funds are a great place to find solid options. Of course, there are also a few funds you’ll want to avoid. So, let me give you my take on (and top picks among) Vanguard’s growth and income funds.