Large Cap Growth fund seekers should consider taking a look at Wells Fargo Premier Large Company Growth R6 (EKJFX Quick QuoteEKJFX - Free Report) . EKJFX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

Objective

We classify EKJFX in the Large Cap Growth category, an area rife with potential choices. Large Cap Growth funds invest in many large U.S. companies that are expected to grow much faster compared to other large-cap stocks. To be considered large-cap, companies must have a market cap over $10 billion.

History of Fund/Manager

Wells Fargo is based in San Francisco, CA, and is the manager of EKJFX. The Wells Fargo Premier Large Company Growth R6 made its debut in December of 2012 and EKJFX has managed to accumulate roughly $1.09 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals.

Performance

Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 21.37%, and it sits in the top 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 21.35%, 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. EKJFX's standard deviation over the past three years is 21.09% compared to the category average of 15.81%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 17.45% compared to the category average of 13.07%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.07, which means it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. 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. EKJFX's 5-year performance has produced a positive alpha of 2.97, which means managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking 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, EKJFX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.71% compared to the category average of 1.02%. From a cost perspective, EKJFX is actually cheaper than its peers.

This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $0, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment.

Bottom Line

Overall, Wells Fargo Premier Large Company Growth R6 ( EKJFX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.

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