Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Wasatch Ultra Growth (WAMCX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Having trouble finding a Mutual Fund Equity Report fund? Wasatch Ultra Growth (WAMCX - Free Report) is a possible starting point. WAMCX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

History of Fund/Manager

Wasatch is based in Salt Lake City, UT, and is the manager of WAMCX. Wasatch Ultra Growth debuted in August of 1992. Since then, WAMCX has accumulated assets of about $937.78 million, according to the most recently available information. The fund's current manager, John Malooly, has been in charge of the fund since January of 2012.

Performance

Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 10.73%, and is in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 2.94%, which places it in the middle 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. Compared to the category average of 21.67%, the standard deviation of WAMCX over the past three years is 29.03%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 26.02% compared to the category average of 19.31%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

With a 5-year beta of 1.13, the fund is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. WAMCX's 5-year performance has produced a positive alpha of 1.59, which means managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.

Holdings

Examining the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is mostly on equities that are traded in the United States.

As of the last filing date, the mutual fund has 94.62% of its assets in stocks, which have an average market capitalization of $4.86 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors:

  1. Technology
  2. Health
  3. Other
With turnover at about 34%, this fund makes fewer trades than the average comparable fund.

Expenses

As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, WAMCX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.18% compared to the category average of 1.19%. So, WAMCX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective.

Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $2,000; each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100.

Bottom Line

Overall, Wasatch Ultra Growth ( WAMCX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now.

Don't stop here for your research on Mutual Fund Equity Report funds. We also have plenty more on our site in order to help you find the best possible fund for your portfolio. Make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for more information about the world of funds, and feel free to compare WAMCX to its peers as well 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.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Wasatch Ultra Growth Investor (WAMCX) - free report >>

Published in