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Is ProFunds UltraJapan Investor (UJPIX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?
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If you have been looking for Japan - Equity funds, a place to start could be ProFunds UltraJapan Investor (UJPIX - Free Report) . UJPIX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.
Objective
UJPIX is part of the Japan - Equity section, which is a segment that boasts many possible selections. Japan - Equity mutual funds mostly invest in Japan-based companies, which is one of the world's richest and most diversified economies. Japan's focus on exports allows them to be somewhat exposed to global economic trends, but investors should note that the country's lack of natural resources can also have an impact.
History of Fund/Manager
ProFunds is responsible for UJPIX, and the company is based out of Columbus, OH. ProFunds UltraJapan Investor made its debut in February of 2000, and since then, UJPIX has accumulated about $19.57 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund is currently managed by Alexander V. Ilyasov who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2009.
Performance
Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 25.65%, and is 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 13.19%, 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. Compared to the category average of 15.64%, the standard deviation of UJPIX over the past three years is 33.92%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 34.19% compared to the category average of 15.52%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.
Risk Factors
It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. UJPIX lost 86.45% in the most recent bear market and underperformed comparable funds by 29.83%. This means that the fund could possibly be a worse choice than its peers during a down market environment.
Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.99, so it is likely going to be 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 negative alpha of -1.12, managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.
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, UJPIX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.70% compared to the category average of 1.21%. UJPIX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost.
While the minimum initial investment for the product is $15,000, investors should also note that there is no minimum for each subsequent investment.
Bottom Line
Overall, ProFunds UltraJapan Investor has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.
Don't stop here for your research on Japan - Equity 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 UJPIX 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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Is ProFunds UltraJapan Investor (UJPIX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?
If you have been looking for Japan - Equity funds, a place to start could be ProFunds UltraJapan Investor (UJPIX - Free Report) . UJPIX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.
Objective
UJPIX is part of the Japan - Equity section, which is a segment that boasts many possible selections. Japan - Equity mutual funds mostly invest in Japan-based companies, which is one of the world's richest and most diversified economies. Japan's focus on exports allows them to be somewhat exposed to global economic trends, but investors should note that the country's lack of natural resources can also have an impact.
History of Fund/Manager
ProFunds is responsible for UJPIX, and the company is based out of Columbus, OH. ProFunds UltraJapan Investor made its debut in February of 2000, and since then, UJPIX has accumulated about $19.57 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund is currently managed by Alexander V. Ilyasov who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2009.
Performance
Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 25.65%, and is 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 13.19%, 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. Compared to the category average of 15.64%, the standard deviation of UJPIX over the past three years is 33.92%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 34.19% compared to the category average of 15.52%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.
Risk Factors
It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. UJPIX lost 86.45% in the most recent bear market and underperformed comparable funds by 29.83%. This means that the fund could possibly be a worse choice than its peers during a down market environment.
Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.99, so it is likely going to be 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 negative alpha of -1.12, managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.
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, UJPIX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.70% compared to the category average of 1.21%. UJPIX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost.
While the minimum initial investment for the product is $15,000, investors should also note that there is no minimum for each subsequent investment.
Bottom Line
Overall, ProFunds UltraJapan Investor has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.
Don't stop here for your research on Japan - Equity 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 UJPIX 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.