Key Takeaways
- Most of the largest active bond funds beat their peers in the quarter, while most of the largest index funds lagged.
- The PIMCO Total Return Fund tied for the top rank among the largest active funds.
- The Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Fund ranked highest among the largest index funds.
After the Federal Reserve’s first interest rate cut of the year, the third quarter of 2025 ended with the majority of the 10 largest actively managed bond funds beating their category peers, while most of the largest bond index funds lagged.
The $45 billion PIMCO Total Return Fund PTTRX ranked the highest in its category out of the largest active US bond funds. Its 2.7% return for the quarter placed it in the 3rd percentile of the intermediate core-plus bond category. The $99 billion Dodge & Cox Income Fund DOXIX was just behind, with a 2.5% return placing it in the 6th percentile of the same category. The active fund that ranked…
