Is MSIF International Opportunities A (MIOPX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

If you have been looking for Global - Equity funds, a place to start could be MSIF International Opportunities A (MIOPX). MIOPX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveWe note that MIOPX is a Global - Equity option, an investment area loaded with different options. While Global - Equity mutual funds invest their assets in large markets--think the U.S., Europe, and Japan--they aren't limited by geography. Their investment technique is one that leverages the global economy in order to offer stable returns.History of Fund/ManagerMorgStanley is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of MIOPX. MSIF International Opportunities A debuted in March of 2010. Since then, MIOPX has accumulated assets of about $173.11 million, according to the most recently available information. Kristian Heugh is the fund's current manager and has held that role since March of 2010.PerformanceInvestors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 5.96%, and is 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 2.68%, 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. The standard deviation of MIOPX over the past three years is 23.9% compared to the category average of 15.05%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 23.93% compared to the category average of 16.07%. 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 1.09, which means it is hypothetically more 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. MIOPX's 5-year performance has produced a negative alpha of -9.48, which means managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.ExpensesAs competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, MIOPX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.32% compared to the category average of 0.95%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, MIOPX is actually more expensive than its peers.Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount.Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, even with its comparatively similar performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, MSIF International Opportunities A ( MIOPX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and therefore looks a good potential choice for investors right now.Want even more information about MIOPX? Then go over to Zacks.com and check out our mutual fund comparison tool, and all of the other great features that we have to help you with your mutual fund analysis 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.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.9% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them 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 (MIOPX): 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