Three Alarm Funds
Three Alarm TA Funds are the worst performers in their categories, delivering absolute returns in the
bottom quintile during the past 1, 3, and 5 years. Roy Weitz first published the Three Alarm Funds list in
1996 on his legacy Fund Alarm website. It's recreated here, using the methodology
described in Three Alarm Funds Redux.
If your fund is on this list, sorry ... you should at least be asking why.
The Fund Alarm system assigns a Return Score for the three evaluation periods, again based on
absolute return [annualized percent return, APR]. True to the original scoring system, funds recieve a -2 for landing in the bottom
quintile (highlighted in red), while those on top receive a +2 (blue).
Roy also identified top quintile performers of the past 1, 3, and 5 years as Honor Roll HR Funds.
A Risk Score is also assigned based a potential bad year relative to other funds in category. It uses 3-year APR minus twice the 3-year standard deviation (STDEV). Funds get a +2 for being highest risk and a -2 for lowest. Caution: This risk metric is relative to other funds in category, so funds can receive a low risk score but still be high volatility relative to overall market.
Fund Alarm return scores are computed for all funds at least one year old, but Three Alarm and Honor Roll designations are assigned only to funds at least five years old. Results are presented below, sorted initially by broad investment Type (BD - Bond, ALT - Alternative, MA - Mixed Asset, EQ - Equity, COM - Commodity, MM - Money Market), then by Category, and then by Name.
This tool includes Three Alarm and Honor Roll designations for oldest share class only. Other share classes may or may not receive these designations, depending on expense ratio and age of fund. Beginning April 2026, the MultiSearch and Portfolios tools show the distinction for all share classes, as applicable.
Click headers to sort (hold Shift for secondary/tertiary sorts). Symbols are hyperlinked to Risk Profile. To perform a more tailored search, like moderate allocation funds sounding Three Alarm bells, please use the QuickSearch or MultiSearch tool.
Roy also identified top quintile performers of the past 1, 3, and 5 years as Honor Roll HR Funds.
A Risk Score is also assigned based a potential bad year relative to other funds in category. It uses 3-year APR minus twice the 3-year standard deviation (STDEV). Funds get a +2 for being highest risk and a -2 for lowest. Caution: This risk metric is relative to other funds in category, so funds can receive a low risk score but still be high volatility relative to overall market.
Fund Alarm return scores are computed for all funds at least one year old, but Three Alarm and Honor Roll designations are assigned only to funds at least five years old. Results are presented below, sorted initially by broad investment Type (BD - Bond, ALT - Alternative, MA - Mixed Asset, EQ - Equity, COM - Commodity, MM - Money Market), then by Category, and then by Name.
This tool includes Three Alarm and Honor Roll designations for oldest share class only. Other share classes may or may not receive these designations, depending on expense ratio and age of fund. Beginning April 2026, the MultiSearch and Portfolios tools show the distinction for all share classes, as applicable.
Click headers to sort (hold Shift for secondary/tertiary sorts). Symbols are hyperlinked to Risk Profile. To perform a more tailored search, like moderate allocation funds sounding Three Alarm bells, please use the QuickSearch or MultiSearch tool.