Is Hartford Small Company HLS IA (HIASX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Having trouble finding a Small Cap Growth fund? Hartford Small Company HLS IA (HIASX) is a potential starting point. HIASX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveThe world of Small Cap Growth funds is an area filled with options, such as HIASX. These funds tend to create their portfolios around stocks that sport large growth opportunities and market capitalization of less than $2 billion. The companies in these portfolios are usually on the smaller side, and are in up-and-coming industries and markets.History of Fund/ManagerHIASX finds itself in the Hartford family, based out of Woodbury, MN. The Hartford Small Company HLS IA made its debut in December of 2001 and HIASX has managed to accumulate roughly $425.45 million in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Ranjit Ramachandran who has been in charge of the fund since February of 2020.PerformanceOf course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 9.61%, and it sits in the middle 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 0.22%, which places it in the bottom 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. HIASX's standard deviation over the past three years is 22.44% compared to the category average of 18.49%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 24.19% compared to the category average of 19.65%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsInvestors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. HIASX has a 5-year beta of 1.15, which means it is likely to be more 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. HIASX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -6.08, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.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, HIASX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.80% compared to the category average of 1.06%. HIASX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost.Investors should also note, that according to our data, the fund does not have any minimum investment requirements.Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, Hartford Small Company HLS IA ( HIASX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Hartford Small Company HLS IA ( HIASX ) looks like a great potential choice for investors right now.Your research on the Small Cap Growth segment doesn't have to stop here. You can check out all the great mutual fund tools we have to offer by going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds to see the additional features we offer as well for additional information. Want to learn even more? We have a full suite of tools on stocks that you can use to find the best choices for your portfolio too, no matter what kind of investor you are.Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and SellsWe're not kidding.Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent.Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators,and more, that closed 228 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2023 alone.See Stocks 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 (HIASX): Fund Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks