STATS

Variable products, the hottest and coldest

Aggressive growth

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

WRL Freedom Attainer Emg Growth 36.17% 29.08% Western Reserve/Ohio

Fortis Value Adv Plus MFS Emg Growth 34.29% NA Fortis Benefit

Ameritas Over III MFS Emg Growth 33.24% NA Ameritas Variable Life

Alpha JPVF MFS Emg Growth 33.03% NA Alexander Hamilton Life

WRL Freedom VA Aggressive Growth 30.67% 23.64% Western Reserve/Ohio

MFS Compass 1 (U.S.) Emg Growth 30.39% 26.39% Sun Life of New York

Hartford Director Old Aggressive Growth 29.00% 25.03% Hartford Life

Market Street VIP/2 Aggressive Growth 26.71% 17.37% Provident Mutual

Kemper Adv III Janus Aggressive Growth Q 24.05% NA Kemper Investors Life

Fortis Masters Annuity Aggressive Growth 23.94% 12.72% Fortis Benefit

BOTTOM 5

Momentum Plus 401(k) Aggressive 16.94% 21.86% Merrill Lynch Life

Pacific Select VA Columbus Circle Aggressive 21.28% NA Pacific Mutual Life

Group Registered Aggressive Growth 22.05% NA Ohio National Life

WRL Janus Aggressive Growth 22.19% 15.63% Western Reserve/Ohio

Top Account A Aggressive Growth 22.35% NA Ohio National Life

AVERAGE 25.84% 22.33%

Western Reserve-managed annuities took first and fifth place — and also third from last. Merrill Lynch’s Momentum had no competiton for the spot by the coal bin. But see below. . .

Corporate bond high yield

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

Momentum 401(k) High Yield 16.72% 18.66% Merrill Lynch Life

Fidelity Reserves/VIP High Income 16.41% 15.72% Fidelity Invt Life

Ameritas Over Fidelity High Income 16.06% 15.43% Ameritas Variable Life

Travelers Univ Fidelity VIP High Income 16.06% 15.42% Travelers

Select*II VIPF High Income Q 15.99% 15.35% Reliastar Life

BOA II Fidelity VIP High Income 15.98% 15.35% Nationwide

Cigna Accru Fidelity High Income 15.98% NA Cigna Investors

Select*III VIP F High Incom
e Q 15.89% 15.25% Reliastar Life

Overture III Plus Fid High Income 15.89% 15.24% Ameritas Variable Life

Alpha VIP High Income 15.88% 15.24% Alexander Hamilton Life

BOTTOM 5

Pacific Select VA High Yield Bond 6.83% 10.63% Pacific Mutual Life

Fortis Masters Annuity High Yield 7.55% 9.02% Fortis Benefit

Farm Bureau High Yield Bond 9.71% 11.02% Farm Bureau

Cova VA Acct One VKM High Yield 9.73% 11.19% Cova Financial Services Life

Bankers Sec Oppenheimer High Income Q 10.35% 14.01% Bankers Security

AVERAGE 12.86% 13.57%

Merrill Lynch’s Momentum carried it to the top of both the one-and three-year rankings, while Pacific Select apparently selected the Mariana Trench off Guam, 36,198 feet down.

Corporate bond diversified

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

Farm Bureau High-Grade 9.15% 7.75% Farm Bureau

Bankers Sector Oppenheimer Q 8.93% NA Bankers Security

Great America Res Group Q 8.85% 8.94% Great American Reserve

BOA IV/Oppenheimer 8.64% 7.97% Nationwide

Market Street VIP/2 Bond 8.63% 8.02% Provident Mutual

Alpha Oppenheimer Bond 8.54% 8.30% Alexander Hamilton Life

Great America Res Flex Q 8.13% 8.22% Great American Reserve

Kemper Gateway Custom Investment Grade 8.00% NA First Allmerica Financial

Kemper Passport Investment Grade Q 7.85% NA Kemper Investors Life

Momentum 401(k) Quality Bond 7.84% 8.13% Merrill Lynch Life

BOTTOM 5

Lincoln Benefit IAI Reserve 3.23% 3.36% Lincoln Benefit Life

United Investors Adv II Limited Term 6.50% 6.44% United Investors Life

No-Load T. Rowe Price Limited Term 6.83% NA Security Benefit Life

Kemper Gateway Elite Investment Grade 7.69% NA First Allmerica Financial

IDS Life Symphony Special Income 7.71% 10.16% IDS Life

AVERAGE 7.89% 7.95%

A well-behaved group of ladies and gentlemen, with only four of them shouting too loudly or behaving boorishly by earning more than a percentage
point above or below the mean.

EQUITY INCOME

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

Prudential Dis Plus 36.17% 25.51% Prudential

Ameritas Over Alger Growth & Income 34.19% 28.35% Ameritas Variable Life

United Investors Adv II Income 30.70% 26.58% United Investors Life

Fidelity Reserves VIP 28.28% 24.59% Fidelity Invt Life

General American Flex Fidelity VIP 28.23% 24.59% General American Life

Ameritas Over Fidelity 27.90% 24.27% Ameritas Variable Life

PML Div II Fidelity Sing 27.88% 24.00% Penn Mutual Life

Kemper Adv III Fidelity Q 27.83% NA Kemper Investors Life

Select II VIP F Q 27.81% 24.19% Reliastar Life

BOA II Fidelity VIP Equity Income 27.81% 24.19% Nationwide Life

BOTTOM 5

IDS Life Symphony NY Equity Income 22.48% 16.29% IDS Life of NY

Venture New Generation Fidelity Equity 24.36% 27.41% Manufacturers Life of N. America

Fidelity Standard Growth & Income 24.38% 24.63% Fidelity Standard Life

No-Load T. Rowe Price Equity Income 26.76% NA Security Benefit Life

Bankers Sec/Fidelity Equity Income NQ 27.57% NA Bankers Security

AVERAGE 27.97% 24.17%

IDS Life Symphony hit the sourest note here, almost two percentage points below its nearest competitor. With the exception of the top and bottom three, the field bunched at the mean.

Domestic growth

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

MFS Compass G Investors Growth Q 53.90% 35.36% Sun Life of Canada

Fortis Val Adv Plus Alliance Prem Growth 46.28% NA Fortis Benefit

Guardian Inv Gabelli Cap Asset F 45.46% NA Guardian Insurance & Annuity

Prudential Dis Plus Prudential Jennison 41.06% NA Prudential

Travelers Univ Alliance Growth 40.05% 31.05% Travelers Life

BOA II Nationwide Cap Appreciation 37.38% 30.37% Nationwide Life

MN MultiOption Select Cap Appreciation 36.33% 23.49% Minnesota Mutual

Hancock Indep Annuity Large Cap Growth 36.27% 27.61% John Hancock Mutual

MFS R
egatta Gold Value 36.07% NA Sun Life of New York

BOA II American Growth 35.15% 24.51% Nationwide Life

BOTTOM 5

Farm Bureau Growth Common Stock 3.95% 14.68% Farm Bureau

MFS Regatta Q (U.S.) TCI Vista 5.96% NA Sun Life of Canada

BOA American Vision AC VP Growth 6.19% 5.96% Nationwide Life

PIA Pennant VP Cap Appreciation 6.20% 5.96% Penn Insurance & Annuity

BOA II TCI Growth 6.30% 6.06% Nationwide Life

AVERAGE 28.19% 25.35%

Follow the sun, with Compass pointing the way. The Sun Life of Canada-managed product was well ahead of the pack — and almost 47 percentage points ahead of its sister, Regatta.

International STOCK

Top 10

PRODUCT 1 YEAR % 3 YEAR % UNDERWRITER

General American GT Europe 24.34% 22.68% General American Life

GT Global Allocator NY Europe 24.34% 22.68% Security Equity Life

BOA II TCI International 23.98% 19.42% Nationwide Life

Achievement AC VP Int’l 23.94% 19.33% Great American Reserve

BOA Amer Vision AC VP Int’l 23.85% 19.30% Nationwide Life

Great American Reserve Uni Fed Int’l II 23.80% NA Great American Reserve

Guardian Inv/Baillie Giff Int’l F 22.87% 17.41% Guardian Insurance & Annuity

MML Flex Extra FP Opportunity Global 20.78% 15.34% MassMutual

BOA IV Oppenheimer Global 19.53% 15.30% Nationwide Life

Fortis Opportunity Annuity Int’l Stock 19.36% 15.71% Fortis Benefit

BOTTOM 5

GT Global Allocator NY New Pacific -45.21% -7.52% Security Equity Life

General American GT New Pacific -45.21% -7.52% General American Life

Personal GT Global New Pacific -45.20% -7.66% American Enterprise Life

Manulife Life Style Pacific Rim Emg Mkt -31.28% -5.20% First North Amer Life

Phoenix Big Edge Choice New Asia -24.37% NA Phoenix Home Life Mutual

AVERAGE 8.57% 12.62%

No surprises in this category: Funds with “Europe” in their names did better — far better – — than anything saddled with “Asia” or “Pacific,” which dragg
ed the average into single figures.

One-year figures are for the period from Feb. 28, 1997, to Feb. 28, 1998. Three-year returns are annualized. NA means not applicable. Variable annuities and related products are mutual fund-type accounts with an isurance wrapper.

Source: CDA/Wiesenberger