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Is JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund A (PGSGX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

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On the lookout for a Small Cap Growth fund? Starting with JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund A (PGSGX - Free Report) is one possibility. PGSGX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

Objective

PGSGX is part of the Small Cap Growth category, and this segment boasts an array of many other possible options. Small Cap Growth mutual funds usually focus their portfolios on stocks with large growth opportunities and a market cap of under $2 billion. These portfolios tend to feature small companies in up-and-coming industries and markets.

History of Fund/Manager

J.P. Morgan is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of PGSGX. JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund A debuted in July of 1991. Since then, PGSGX has accumulated assets of about $789.62 million, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by a team of investment professionals.

Performance

Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 25.87%, and it sits 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 27.59%, 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. PGSGX's standard deviation over the past three years is 26.61% compared to the category average of 16.03%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 22.82% compared to the category average of 13.6%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

The fund has a 5-year beta of 1.33, so investors should note that it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. 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 positive alpha of 5.83, managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.

Expenses

Costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing, and particularly as competition heats up in this market. And all things being equal, a lower cost product will outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, so taking a closer look at these metrics is key for investors. In terms of fees, PGSGX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.24% compared to the category average of 1.22%. So, PGSGX is actually more expensive than its peers from a cost perspective.

While the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $50.

Bottom Line

Overall, JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund A ( PGSGX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, JPMorgan Small Cap Growth Fund A ( PGSGX ) looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.

Want even more information about PGSGX? Then go over to Zacks.com and check out our mutual fund comparison tool, and all of the other great features that we have to help you with your mutual fund analysis for additional information. Want to learn even more? We have a full suite of tools on stocks that you can use to find the best choices for your portfolio too, no matter what kind of investor you are.


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