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Is Dodge & Cox Stock Fund (DODGX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

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Having trouble finding a Mutual Fund Equity Report fund? Dodge & Cox Stock Fund (DODGX - Free Report) is a potential starting point. DODGX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

History of Fund/Manager

Dodge & Cox is based in San Francisco, CA, and is the manager of DODGX. Dodge & Cox Stock Fund debuted in December of 1964. Since then, DODGX has accumulated assets of about $83.40 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by a team of investment professionals.

Performance

Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. DODGX has a 5-year annualized total return of 8.91% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 13.01%, which places it in the top 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. DODGX's standard deviation over the past three years is 24.88% compared to the category average of 21.79%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 21.62% compared to the category average of 19.2%. 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. 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. With a negative alpha of -0.52, managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.

Holdings

Exploring 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.

The mutual fund currently has 92.9% of its holdings in stocks, and these companies have an average market capitalization of $119.19 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors:

  • Finance
  • Technology

Turnover is about 18%, so those in charge of the fund make fewer trades than the average comparable fund.

 

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, DODGX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.51% compared to the category average of 0.98%. DODGX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost.

This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500, and each subsequent investment should be at least $100.

Bottom Line

Overall, Dodge & Cox Stock Fund ( DODGX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Dodge & Cox Stock Fund ( DODGX ) looks like a good potential 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 Zacks.com for more information about the world of funds, and feel free to compare DODGX to its peers as well for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible.


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