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Is AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N (TCMPX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

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Any investors hoping to find a Mutual Fund Equity Report fund might consider looking past AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N (TCMPX - Free Report) . TCMPX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

History of Fund/Manager

AMG Funds is based in Greenwich, CT, and is the manager of TCMPX. Since AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N made its debut in January of 2013, TCMPX has garnered more than $21.20 million in assets. The fund is currently managed by Magnus Larsson who has been in charge of the fund since January of 2013.

Performance

Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 3.29%, and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 3.16%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame.

When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. TCMPX's standard deviation over the past three years is 21.84% compared to the category average of 16.62%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 19.47% compared to the category average of 14.71%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

With a 5-year beta of 1.06, the fund is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Alpha is an additional metric to take into consideration, since it represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which in this case, is the S&P 500. With a negative alpha of -11.23, managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.

Expenses

For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, TCMPX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.22% compared to the category average of 1.15%. From a cost perspective, TCMPX is actually more expensive than its peers.

While the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,000, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100.

Bottom Line

Overall, AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N ( TCMPX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N ( TCMPX ) looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now.

For additional information on this product, or to compare it to other mutual funds in the Mutual Fund Equity Report, make sure to go to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information. And don't forget, Zacks has all of your needs covered on the equity side too! Make sure to check out Zacks.com for more information on our screening capabilities, Rank, and all our articles as well.


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