Is Vanguard International Explorer Fund (VINEX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Any investors hoping to find a Non US - Equity fund could think about starting with Vanguard International Explorer Fund (VINEX). VINEX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveZacks categorizes VINEX as Non US - Equity, a segment stacked high with options. Non US - Equity mutual funds like to invest in companies outside of the United States, an important characteristic since global mutual funds are known to keep a good portion of their portfolio stateside. These kinds of funds can often extend across all cap levels, and will typically allocate their investments between emerging and developed markets.History of Fund/ManagerVanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VINEX. Vanguard International Explorer Fund made its debut in November of 1996, and since then, VINEX has accumulated about $1.28 billion in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals.PerformanceInvestors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 2.58%, and it sits in the middle third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of -1.55%, which places it in the top 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 VINEX over the past three years is 19.19% compared to the category average of 20.62%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 21.03% compared to the category average of 21.61%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsInvestors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.02, which means it is hypothetically as volatile as 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. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -10.76, which shows that 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, VINEX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.44% compared to the category average of 1.24%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, VINEX is actually cheaper than its peers.While the minimum initial investment for the product is $3,000, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $1.Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, Vanguard International Explorer Fund ( VINEX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Vanguard International Explorer Fund ( VINEX ) looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now.Want even more information about VINEX? 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.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>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 (VINEX): 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