The Lipper Rating for Total Return denotes a fund that has provided superior total returns (income from dividends and interest as well as capital appreciation) when compared to a group of similar funds. The Lipper Rating for Total Return may be the best fit for investors who want the best historical return, without looking at risk. This measure alone may not be suitable for investors who want to avoid downside risk. For more risk-averse investors, the Total Return ratings can be used with Preservation and/or Consistent Return ratings to make an appropriate selection that balances the risk and return.

The Lipper Rating for Consistent Return identifies a fund that has provided relatively superior consistency and risk-adjusted returns when compared to a group of similar funds. Funds which achieve high ratings for Consistent Return may be the best fit for investors who value a fund's year-to-year consistency relative to other funds in a particular peer group. Investors are cautioned that some peer groups are inherently more volatile than others, and even Lipper Leaders for Consistent Return in the most volatile groups may not be well suited to shorter-term goals or less risk-tolerant investors.

The Lipper Rating for Preservation is a fund that has demonstrates a superior ability to preserve capital in a variety of markets when compared with other funds in its asset class. Choosing a Lipper Rating for Preservation may help to minimize downside risk relative to other fund choices in the same asset class. Investors are cautioned that equity funds have historically been more volatile than mixed-equity or fixed-income funds, and that even the Lipper Rating for Preservation in more volatile asset classes may not be well suited to shorter-term goals or less risk-tolerant investors.

The Lipper Rating for Expense identifies a fund that has successfully managed to keep its expenses low relative to its peers and within its load structure. The Lipper Rating for Expense may be the best fit for investors who want to minimize their total costs. It can be used in conjunction with Total Return or Consistent Return to identify funds with above-average performance and lower-than-average cost.