I disagree with the staff's answers for two reasons; American Funds has superior long term performance and a unique management style staffed by a highly diversified and experienced management team.

It's difficult if not impossible to find any fund group with the consistant market beating returns (over a five year or longer period) than the American Funds. The diversity and experience level of the managers in this group is unmatched.
Sure in any year or three, there's always a period where the American Funds underperform the market