Founded in 1889, Northern Trusts managed assets worth more than $1.1 trillion as of Mar 31, 2021, based on assets raised in the country. The company generally focuses on funds that have a long-term performance goal. Moreover, the Northern funds do not bear sales load, making them strong investment choices for those seeking low-cost funds.Northern Trusts is one of the major asset management companies, providing a variety of investment solutions and strategies to both individuals and institutions. It comprises investment professionals with experience of more than 15 years. At present, the company has more than 20 branches globally with around 18,800 employees.Below we focus on three top-ranked Northern mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers. Investors can click here to see the complete list of Northern funds.Northern Active M International Equity Fund NMIEX aims for long-term capital appreciation. The fund invests the majority of its assets in equity securities of companies situated outside the United States. It utilizes a multi-manager approach in which its assets are allocated to one or more sub-advisers, in percentages determined at the discretion of the fund's investment advisers. NMIEX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and has returned 9.9% in three years.NMIEX has an expense ratio of 0.85% compared with the category average of 0.95%.Northern Large Cap Core Fund NOLCX seeks capital appreciation for the long run. The fund invests the lion's share of its assets in equity securities of large-cap domestic companies that may also include non-U.S. large-cap companies traded in the United States. NOLCX sports a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and has returned 15% over the past three years.Mark C. Sodergren is the fund manager of NOLCX since 2011.Northern Multi-Manager High Yield Opportunity Fund NMHYX seeks total return that consists of a combination of income and capital appreciation. The fund invests the lion's share of its assets in bonds and other fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade, also known as junk bonds. NMHYX has returned 5.6% over the past three years and carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2.As of the end of March 2021, NMHYX held 1,080 issues, with 1.17% of its assets invested in Reaall Cmn Stock.To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all Northern mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of Northern funds.Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >> Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. They’re also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases. Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better.See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (NOLCX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (NMHYX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (NMIEX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.