Previously known as TIAA-CREF, Teachers Insurance, and Annuity Association of America Fund (TIAA) was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1918. TIAA had $1 trillion in assets under management as of Dec 31, 2017. A major portion of its assets is allocated to stocks and fixed income securities.

TIAA Global Asset Management seeks to offer financial services pertaining to investment advice and portfolio management to more than five million customers and around 16,000 institutional investors. The company has investments in more than 50 nations with about 397 offices located 19 countries.

Below we share with you three top-ranked TIAA Mutual Funds. Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. 

TIAA-CREF Bond Plus Fund Retirement Class (TCBRX - Free Report) invests a large portion of its assets in bonds, including fixed-income securities. TCBRX seeks growth of income for the long run. The fund invests not only in fixed-income securities but also in investment-grade bonds. TIAA-CREF Bond Plus Fund Retirement Class has one-year annualized returns of 1.4%.

TCBRX has an expense ratio of 0.56% compared with the category average of 0.76%.

TIAA-CREF Emerging Markets Equity Index Retirement (TEQSX - Free Report) seeks returns through appreciation of capital. TEQSX invests a bulk of its assets in a portfolio of emerging market equity securities that fall within the range of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. TIAA-CREF Emerging Markets Equity Index Retirement has returned 29.6% over the last one-year period.

Philip James (Jim) Campagna is one of the fund managers of TEQSX since 2010.

TIAA-CREF Growth & Income Retail (TIIRX - Free Report) invests a major portion of its assets in equity securities of large-cap companies that are expected to be valued well. TIIRX seeks growth of income and capital. It will invest in securities that the fund's investment adviser believes have the potential for capital appreciation, dividend income or both. TIAA-CREF Growth & Income Retail has returned 20.3% in the last one year.

As of January 2018, TIIRX held 196 issues, with 3.61% of its assets invested in Apple Inc.