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Is AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N (TCMPX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

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On the lookout for a Non US - Equity fund? Starting with AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N (TCMPX - Free Report) should not be a possibility at this time. TCMPX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 4 (Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

Objective

We classify TCMPX in the Non US - Equity category, which is an area rife with potential choices. Investing in companies outside the United States is how Non US - Equity funds set themselves apart, since global funds tend to keep a good portion of their portfolio stateside. Many of these funds like to allocate across emerging and developed markets, and will often focus on all cap levels.

History of Fund/Manager

AMG Funds is based in Norwalk, CT, and is the manager of TCMPX. AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N debuted in January of 2013. Since then, TCMPX has accumulated assets of about $70.53 million, according to the most recently available information. Magnus Larsson is the fund's current manager and has held that role since January of 2013.

Performance

Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. TCMPX has a 5-year annualized total return of 0.41% and is 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 -4.78%, 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 11.17%, the standard deviation of TCMPX over the past three years is 19.48%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 17.11% compared to the category average of 11.18%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

One cannot ignore the volatility of this segment, however, as it is always important for investors to remember the downside to any potential investment.

Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.02, which means it is hypothetically as volatile as 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. TCMPX's 5-year performance has produced a negative alpha of -5.49, which means managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick 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, TCMPX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.23% compared to the category average of 1.22%. From a cost perspective, TCMPX is actually more expensive than its peers.

While the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,000, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100.

Bottom Line

Overall, AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N ( TCMPX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, AMG TimesSquare International Small Cap N ( TCMPX ) looks like a poor potential choice for investors right now.

Don't stop here for your research on Non US - 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 TCMPX to its peers as well for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank.


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