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Is Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Investor (VMVFX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

If you have been looking for Global - Equity fund category, a potential starting could be Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Investor (VMVFX). VMVFX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

Objective

Zacks categorizes VMVFX as Global - Equity, which is a segment packed with options. Global - Equity mutual funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations. They also provide an investment technique that leverages the diverse nature of the global economy in the hopes of providing a stable return.

History of Fund/Manager

Vanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VMVFX. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Investor made its debut in December of 2013, and since then, VMVFX has accumulated about $210.81 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund is currently managed by John Ameriks who has been in charge of the fund since July of 2022.

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Performance

Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 5.65%, and it sits in the bottom 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 5.39%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame.

It is important to note that the product's returns may not reflect all its expenses. Any fees not reflected would lower the returns. Total returns do not reflect the fund's [%] sale charge. If sales charges were included, total returns would have been lower.

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 16.03%, the standard deviation of VMVFX over the past three years is 10.35%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 12.64% compared to the category average of 16.86%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Risk Factors

Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.61, so it is likely going to be less 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. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -4.46, which shows that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick 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, VMVFX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.21% compared to the category average of 0.96%. From a cost perspective, VMVFX is actually cheaper than its peers.

This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $3,000, and each subsequent investment should be at least $1.

Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.

Bottom Line

Overall, Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Investor ( VMVFX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Investor ( VMVFX ) looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now.

Don't stop here for your research on Global - 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 VMVFX 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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