CHICAGO, Feb 26, 2001 – With more than 10,000 mutual funds to choose from, investors can turn to one resource for help--the 2001 edition of the Morningstar^® Mutual Fund 500^TM reference book, now available at leading book stores around the country and on Morningstar.com. The book contains overviews of an elite group of 500 carefully selected funds, and provides research into the industry's proven performers, bold newcomers, and niche players to help investors make relevant comparisons. 

Featuring a foreword from Morningstar Managing Director Don Phillips, the Morningstar Mutual Fund 500 offers in-depth investment data for investment professionals. The book is packed with one-page comprehensive reports on 500 funds selected by Morningstar's team of fund analysts, with information on top holdings, risk and portfolio analysis, Morningstar Ratings^TM, Morningstar^® Category Ratings^TM, Morningstar^® Style Box^TM, and performance (based on 2000 year-end data). There are also summary pages with lists of funds with the highest and lowest expense ratios, assets and turnover rates, as well as funds that have changed managers or names.

Published since 1993, the Morningstar Mutual Fund 500 can be ordered by visiting Morningstar's Web site, (http://www.morningstar.com) or by calling 1-800-735-0700. The 2001 edition also is available at nationwide book retailers Borders, Barnes & Noble, and B. Dalton. The retail price of the book is $39.95.