Bond Investors Are Paying Up Again for Active Fund Managers
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 11 2024
0mins
Source: WSJ
- American savers turning to Wall Street pros: Due to a rocky stretch in debt markets, American savers are seeking help from professionals on Wall Street to choose their bonds.
- Increase in actively managed fixed-income funds: $105 billion has flowed into actively managed fixed-income funds this year, surpassing the $74 billion that went into funds tracking an index.
- First time flows into active bond funds surpassed passive funds: This marks the first time since 2021 that flows into active bond funds have exceeded those into passive funds.
- Data source: The information is based on Morningstar Direct data as of April 30.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy MORN?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on MORN
Wall Street analysts forecast MORN stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 173.130
Low
250.00
Averages
285.00
High
320.00
Current: 173.130
Low
250.00
Averages
285.00
High
320.00
About MORN
Morningstar, Inc. is a provider of independent investment insights. The Company's segments include Morningstar Direct Platform, PitchBook, Morningstar Credit, Morningstar Wealth, and Morningstar Retirement. The Morningstar Direct Platform provides investors with data, research and insights, and investment analysis to empower investment decision-making. The PitchBook provides investors with access to data, research, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) enabled software across private capital markets, including venture capital, private equity, private credit, bank loans, and mergers & acquisitions (M&A). Morningstar Credit provides investors with credit ratings, research, data, and credit analytics solutions. Morningstar Wealth provides investment products, investor tools, and an advisor platform powered by research and data. The Morningstar Retirement offers products designed to help individuals reach retirement goals.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- IPO Market Performance: SpaceX achieved a record market cap of $2.6 trillion during its IPO, with shares continuing to rise post-listing, reflecting strong investor interest in space technology, yet analysts warn of potential overvaluation.
- Valuation Analysis: Morningstar analysts estimate SpaceX's fair value at $63 per share, approximately 70% below its current trading price, indicating that market expectations for future growth may be overly optimistic.
- Competitive Risks: SpaceX's Starlink business faces competition from Amazon's Leo, which may offer performance and cost advantages, potentially impacting SpaceX's revenue streams and market share.
- Governance Risks: Elon Musk controls about 82% of SpaceX's voting power, which may lead to decisions favoring personal interests over those of all shareholders, increasing uncertainty for investors.
See More
- Valuation Analysis: Morningstar analyst Nicolas Owens concluded that SpaceX's stock is significantly overvalued, estimating its fair value at $63 per share, which is approximately 70% below the current trading price, indicating that market expectations for future growth may be overly optimistic and could lead to substantial investor losses.
- Increased Governance Risks: Elon Musk's control of about 82% of the voting power allows him to make decisions that may not benefit other shareholders, potentially leading to large acquisitions that could dilute existing shares and increase investment risks.
- Intensifying Market Competition: SpaceX's Starlink business is set to face competition from Amazon's Leo project, which is expected to outperform Starlink in terms of performance and cost, potentially weakening SpaceX's market position and impacting future revenues.
- Post-IPO Consequences: Despite the surge in SpaceX's stock price following its IPO, Morningstar warns that the months ahead could see significant price declines as early investors and employees are allowed to sell their shares, urging investors to be cautious regarding the current high valuation.
See More
- Exceptional Financial Performance: Micron Technology reported a remarkable revenue of $23.8 billion in Q2 of fiscal 2026, reflecting a 196% year-over-year increase, while adjusted earnings surged 682% to $12.20 per share, underscoring its strong position as a key supplier in the AI-driven memory chip market.
- Supply and Demand Dynamics: The severe shortage of memory chips has led to NAND and DRAM prices tripling and quadrupling respectively over the past year, which, while boosting Micron's profitability in the short term, raises concerns about the sustainability of such pricing power.
- Cautious Future Outlook: Analysts project that Micron's adjusted earnings could reach $98.52 per share in fiscal 2027, with an annual growth rate of 172%, yet they caution that increased production capacity may lead to oversupply by 2028, potentially triggering price declines and reduced profitability.
- Intensifying Industry Competition: Despite strong financial results, Micron's market share in NAND and DRAM has declined, highlighting the cyclical risks inherent in the memory chip industry, prompting investors to carefully assess the stock's future value amidst increasing competition.
See More
- Outstanding Stock Performance: Micron Technology has seen its stock price soar by 240% year-to-date, making it one of the best performers in the S&P 500, reflecting strong demand and market recognition in the artificial intelligence sector.
- Impressive Financial Results: In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Micron reported a 196% year-over-year revenue increase to $23.8 billion, with non-GAAP net income surging 682% to $12.20 per diluted share, showcasing robust profitability amid a memory chip supply shortage.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Despite strong financial results, Micron lost market share in NAND and DRAM, indicating a lack of competitive moat, which may lead to increased market pressure in the future.
- Cautious Future Outlook: The memory chip market is expected to face oversupply by 2028; although Micron has secured a five-year contract with hyperscalers to ensure supply, cyclical fluctuations may still lead to significant sales declines, prompting investors to carefully assess the company's future valuation.
See More
- IPO Market Performance: SpaceX successfully went public on Friday, becoming the seventh-largest company on a U.S. exchange with a market cap of $2.1 trillion; however, its price-to-sales ratio exceeding 112 indicates significant risks of overvaluation, urging investors to assess carefully.
- Profitability Analysis: According to Morningstar's probability-weighted discounted cash flow analysis, SpaceX's true valuation stands at $63 per share, merely 42% of its current IPO price, highlighting a substantial bubble in the company's market pricing.
- Complex Business Model: The merger with xAI complicates SpaceX's business structure, with potential future equity issuances expected, which poses greater challenges for investors in forecasting future earnings, especially given the $22.7 trillion total addressable market the company targets.
- Investor Caution: Buffett emphasizes that investors should operate within their circle of competence, and the complexities and high valuation of SpaceX may hinder many investors from making informed decisions, suggesting careful consideration before investing.
See More
- IPO Performance: SpaceX successfully went public on Friday, becoming the seventh-largest company on a U.S. exchange with a market cap of $2.1 trillion, reflecting high market expectations but also raising concerns about its overvaluation.
- Valuation Analysis: With projected revenue of $18.7 billion in 2025 and a price-to-sales ratio exceeding 112, Morningstar estimates SpaceX's true value at $63 per share, indicating that the current stock price is significantly inflated, warranting caution from investors.
- Risk Warning: Buffett emphasizes that investors should only operate within their circle of competence, and SpaceX's complex business model, along with its merger with xAI, complicates future earnings projections, increasing investment risks.
- Investment Advice: Buffett's investment philosophy advises investors to remain calm in the face of SpaceX's historic IPO, avoiding impulsive decisions driven by market excitement, and underscores the importance of choosing the right investment opportunities.
See More









