I don't know about you, but I'm not planning to grow old gracefully -- I'm going kicking and screaming! There is no denying the aging population is
growing and will continue to grow at a rapid pace. The baby boomers are starting to enter retirement and the bulk of them will be fully retired over the next 10 - 15 years. Unfortunately, along with
retirement parties, gold watches and travel brochures comes higher medical bills and sometimes more illness. Luckily, billions of dollars are spent on ways to keep us healthy. How can you profit from the
increasing need for drugs, medical supplies and health care facilities? Try investing in a mutual fund specializing in health care securities.
Vanguard, a very reputable mutual fund family, has a fund that seeks a long-term growth of capital by investing in companies that engage in the development, production and distribution of health related products and
services. If you take a peak into the Vanguard Health Care Fund (symbol VGHCX), you will find a wide range of different pharmaceutical companies, medical supply firms, hospital operators and health care
facilities, all striving to improve our quality of life. The Vanguard Health Care Fund is currently managed by Edward Owens, a Harvard MBA with several years of investment management experience. Mr. Owens has
been at the helm of VGHCX since May 1984 and has focused his investing on a list of household names such as Warner-Lambert, Johnson & Johnson, Monsanto and American Home Products. Although, you may not know when
the next hottest drug comes along, rest assured, Mr. Owens and his research team are on top of what is happening on the cutting edge of biotechnology. Who knows, maybe they'll invest in the company that discovers
the Fountain of Youth. Vanguard Health Care Fund
Symbol |
VGHCX |
Phone Number |
(800) 662-7447 |
Web Site |
www.vanguard.com |
Minimum Investment |
$10,000 |
Load |
None |
Expense Ratio |
.36% (low) |
Redemption Fee (if you sell within 12 months) |
1.00% |
Year to date return (as of 12/28/99) |
5.92% |
Average annual 5 year return (as of 09/30/99
) |
25.69% |
(Source:
www.vanguard.com – accuracy of this information is not guaranteed) |
