Is T. Rowe Price Japan Fund (PRJPX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Having trouble finding a Japan - Equity fund? Well, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund (PRJPX) would not be a good potential starting point right now. PRJPX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveThe world of Japan - Equity funds is an area filled with choices, and one such option is PRJPX. Japan - Equity mutual funds invest primarily in companies based in Japan, one of the world's richest and most diversified economies. The country remains somewhat exposed to global economic trends with its export focus, while its lack of natural resources also can impact the nation.History of Fund/ManagerT. Rowe Price is responsible for PRJPX, and the company is based out of Baltimore, MD. T. Rowe Price Japan Fund debuted in December of 1991. Since then, PRJPX has accumulated assets of about $182.25 million, according to the most recently available information. The fund's current manager, Hiroshi Watanabe, has been in charge of the fund since July of 2024.PerformanceInvestors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of -0.57%, and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of -10.23%, 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. Over the past three years, PRJPX's standard deviation comes in at 16.89%, compared to the category average of 14.97%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 17.45% compared to the category average of 15.6%. 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. PRJPX has a 5-year beta of 0.72, 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. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a negative alpha of -10.63. This means that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick 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, PRJPX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.11% compared to the category average of 0.96%. PRJPX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost.Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $100Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund ( PRJPX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund ( PRJPX ) looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now.Don't stop here for your research on Japan - 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 PRJPX to its peers 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.Free Today: Profiting from The Future’s Brightest Energy SourceThe demand for electricity is growing exponentially. At the same time, we’re working to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. 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