Is Dodge & Cox Global Stock Fund (DODWX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Global - Equity fund seekers should consider taking a look at Dodge & Cox Global Stock Fund (DODWX). DODWX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.
Zacks categorizes DODWX 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.
Dodge & Cox is based in San Francisco, CA, and is the manager of DODWX. The Dodge & Cox Global Stock Fund made its debut in May of 2008 and DODWX has managed to accumulate roughly $9.98 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by a team of investment professionals.
Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 15.83%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 9.45%, which places it in the middle 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. Over the past three years, DODWX's standard deviation comes in at 16.61%, compared to the category average of 15.12%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 17.75% compared to the category average of 14.96%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.
Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. DODWX has a 5-year beta of 0.86, which means it is likely to be less volatile than the market average. 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 positive alpha of 2.18, managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.
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, DODWX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.62% compared to the category average of 0.96%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, DODWX is actually cheaper than its peers.
This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500, and each subsequent investment should be at least $100.
Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.
Overall, Dodge & Cox Global Stock Fund ( DODWX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Dodge & Cox Global Stock Fund ( DODWX ) looks like a good potential 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 DODWX to its peers as well for additional information. And don't forget, Zacks has all of your needs covered on the equity side too! Make sure to check out Zacks.com for more information on our screening capabilities, Rank, and all our articles as well.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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