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3 AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds to Buy in the Current Environment

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A merger in the year 2000 brought together Alliance Capital’s capabilities in growth equity and corporate fixed income and Bernstein’s expertise in value equity and tax-exempt fixed income to form AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (AB - Free Report) , one of the most trusted investment management companies in the world.

Headquartered in Nashville, TN, AllianceBernstein has approximately $745 billion in assets under management as of Feb 29, 2024. The company is recognized for its comprehensive research and diverse investment services offered worldwide to a varied client base which includes institutional, individual and private wealth clients.

The retail part of AllianceBernstein provides investment advice, research and tools that cover mutual funds, managed accounts, college and retirement saving, and insurance services. Bernstein Research, a wholly-owned subsidiary, provides sell-side research and brokerage services. Bernstein Wealth Management provides investment and wealth-planning services for high-net-worth clients in the Americas.

The company currently has more than 4,707 employees across 45 locations globally. Since the end of October last year, the company’s AUM has grown 12.5%, primarily driven by market appreciation and positive net flows across all channels. Its global reach and solid AUM balance are likely to aid top-line growth.

While projecting for the future, the firm expects positive flows in municipal bonds as interest rates remain elevated and inflation is controlled. New initiatives, such as the launch of an interval fund and the growth of the active ETF business, are also expected to do well. However, the company has recently pointed out factors like market performance, economic conditions and regulatory shifts that could affect future outcomes.

Thus, investing in mutual funds from AllianceBernstein may provide the much-required stability and growth potential in a market that is expected to remain volatile for a while. Hence, astute investors should consider such funds at present. Mutual funds, in general, reduce transaction costs and diversify portfolios without an array of commission charges that are mostly associated with stock purchases (read more: Mutual Funds: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How They Make Investors Money).

We have thus selected three mutual funds that boast a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), have positive three-year and five-year annualized returns and minimum initial investments within $5000, as well as carry a low expense ratio.

AB Value (ABVIX - Free Report) invests primarily in a varied portfolio of domestic, large-cap companies that the fund advisor believes are undervalued. In deciding a company’s valuation, ABVIX advisors consider firms that are attractively priced relative to their future earnings power and dividend-paying capability.

Cem Inal has been the lead manager of ABVIX since March 2016. The three top holdings for ABVIX are 4.2% in Walmart, 3.7% in PACCAR and 3.7% in Wells Fargo.

ABVIX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 11.1% and 10.1%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.70%. ABVIX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1. To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here.

AB Discovery Value (ABSIX - Free Report) primarily invests in equity securities of small-cap and mid-cap domestic companies. ABSIX advisors define small- to mid-cap companies as those that, at the time of investment, fall within the capitalization range between the smallest company in the Russell 2500 Value Index and the greater of $5 billion or the market-cap of the largest company on the Russell 2500 Value Index.

James W. MacGregor has been the lead manager of ABSIX since February 2005. The three top holdings for ABSIX are 1.9% in PVH Corp., 1.8% in First Citizens Bank and 1.7% in CBOE Global.

ABSIX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 5.7% and 7.9%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.88%. ABSIX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2.

AB Large Cap Growth Fund (APGZX - Free Report) invests primarily in equity securities of a careful selection of high-quality, large-cap domestic companies. For arriving at the investment decision, APGZX advisors consider large, seasoned companies across sectors with very high growth potential.

John H. Fogarty has been the lead manager of APGZX since February 2012. The three top holdings for APGZX are 10.5% in Microsoft, 5.6% in UnitedHealth and 5.6% in Alphabet.

APGZX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 11.9% and 17.1%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.51%. APGZX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2.

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