Is American Funds Washington Mutual Investors A (AWSHX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

There are plenty of choices in the Large Cap Value category, but where should you start your research? Well, one fund that might be worth investigating is American Funds Washington Mutual Investors A (AWSHX). AWSHX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveAWSHX is classified in the Large Cap Value segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Investors interested in a stable income stream find these mutual funds very appealing because they have a unique investing strategy. Large Cap Value funds invest in stocks with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. This tactic often leads to low P/E ratios and high dividend yields; however, these funds' high growth opportunities are often slowed, as large-cap securities are generally in stable industries with low to moderate growth prospects.History of Fund/ManagerAWSHX finds itself in the American Funds family, based out of Los Angeles, CA. American Funds Washington Mutual Investors A debuted in July of 1952. Since then, AWSHX has accumulated assets of about $84.92 billion, according to the most recently available information. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager.PerformanceInvestors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 15.46%, and is in the middle third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 15.29%, 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, AWSHX's standard deviation comes in at 13.05%, compared to the category average of 14.01%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 13.99% compared to the category average of 13.53%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsInvestors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.83, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. With a positive alpha of 1.65, managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.HoldingsExploring the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is mostly on equities that are traded in the United States.The mutual fund currently has 76.78% of its holdings in stocks, with an average market capitalization of $406.97 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors:TechnologyFinanceNon-DurableIndustrial CyclicalThis fund's turnover is about 29%, so the fund managers are making fewer trades than the average comparable fund.ExpensesCosts 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, AWSHX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.56% compared to the category average of 0.94%. AWSHX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost.This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $250, and each subsequent investment should be at least $50.Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into consideration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, American Funds Washington Mutual Investors A ( AWSHX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.Don't stop here for your research on Large Cap Value 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 AWSHX to its peers as well for additional information. For analysis of the rest of your portfolio, make sure to visit Zacks.com for our full suite of tools which will help you investigate all of your stocks and funds in one place.Quantum Computing Stocks Set To SoarArtificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.Access the Report Free Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (AWSHX): Fund Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks