Is ProFunds Tech UltraSector Investor (TEPIX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Having trouble finding a Sector - Tech fund? ProFunds Tech UltraSector Investor (TEPIX) is a potential starting point. TEPIX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveTEPIX is part of the Sector - Tech category, which boasts an array of different possible selections. With a much more diversified approach, Sector - Tech mutual funds give investors a way to own a stake in a notoriously risky sector. Tech companies are in various industries like semiconductors, software, internet, and networking, among others.History of Fund/ManagerProFunds is based in Columbus, OH, and is the manager of TEPIX. ProFunds Tech UltraSector Investor made its debut in June of 2000, and since then, TEPIX has accumulated about $87.36 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund is currently managed by Michael Neches who has been in charge of the fund since October of 2013.PerformanceObviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 26.1%, 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 6.3%, 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, TEPIX's standard deviation comes in at 35.06%, compared to the category average of 26.06%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 34.6% compared to the category average of 27.41%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsThe fund has a 5-year beta of 1.73, so investors should note that it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. Alpha is an additional metric to take into consideration, since it represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which in this case, is the S&P 500. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a positive alpha of 2.92. This means that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.ExpensesFor 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, TEPIX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.52% compared to the category average of 1.44%. TEPIX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost.While the minimum initial investment for the product is $15,000, investors should also note that there is no minimum for each subsequent investment.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 strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, ProFunds Tech UltraSector Investor ( TEPIX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and therefore looks a good potential choice for investors right now.This could just be the start of your research on TEPIXin the Sector - Tech category. Consider going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information about this fund, and all the others that we rank as well for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike.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 +24.1% 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 (TEPIX): 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