(MONEY Magazine) – Value or growth? To most fund managers, that's like asking if they prefer Leno or Letterman: You can truly be a fan of only one. Don't tell that to Rick Aster, manager of MONEY 65 picks Meridian Value (MVLAX) and Meridian Growth (MERDX) funds. The value fund is up 13.1 %, and the growth fund has returned 12.5% this year, compared with 11.1% for the S&P 500. For Meridian Value, Aster focuses mainly on companies that have run into short-term earnings trouble but have a solid chance of bouncing back. These days that's led to a heavy concentration in financial services and fallen tech stars, with top picks including J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) and Nokia (NOK). Aster also runs Meridian Growth with an eye toward value. "You need to find companies that are growing but are reasonably inexpensive," he says. For the most part, that means consumer-services and health-care stocks instead of current market favorites like telecom or energy. Right now casino owner Las Vegas Sands (LVS) and medical equipment firm Edward Lifesciences (EW) meet Aster's criteria, along with new holding Carter's (CRI), which makes apparel for children.