QikReview: Top Other Foreign Mutual Funds

Below is a brief review of the three other foreign-oriented mutual funds (World Stock, Latin America, and Diversified Emerging markets).

Polaris Global Value (PGVFX)

Category: World Stock
Rating: 3
Capital Gains Exposure: 5%
Assets: $0.5 bil
Expense Ratio: 1.23%
Turnover Ratio: 5%
Yield: 1.46%
Redemption Period: 180 days
Redemption Fee: 1.0%
3-Year Total Cost: $390
Minimum Investment: $2,500
Comments: Middle-of-the-pack returns, which are great in absolute terms, but not so great relative to its peers. Capital gains exposure is negligible at 5%. It invests into Mid-cap Value companies. It holds no Cash. It invests into Financials (24), Consumer Goods (9), Industrial Materials (34), and Business Services (10). It's in the U.S. (33), Japan (14), Finland (7), Ireland (6), South Africa (6), and the rest of Asia (6). This fund has performed terribly in 2007 in absolute terms and relative to its peers (it lost about 4% while most peers gained in double digits). I don't think I like this fund's style too much.

T. Rowe Price Latin (PRLAX)

Category: Latin America
Rating: 4
Capital Gains Exposure: 51%
Assets: $3.3 bil
Expense Ratio: 1.24%
Turnover Ratio: 35%
Yield: 0.77%
Redemption Period: 90 days
Redemption Fee: 2.0%
3-Year Total Cost: $393
Minimum Investment: $2,500
Comments: It's #1 in 10-yr, 3-yr returns, and #8 in 5-year returns. Absolute returns are just unbelievable. Invests in Large-cap Growth; Telecom (10), Consumer Services (12), Financials (22), Industrial Materials (23), Energy (21). Geographically, it's in Brazil (67), Mexico (24), and Chile (3.5). It has 46 holdings with 65% of assets int Top 10 holdings. It's largest positions are in the two companies that I've actually heard of: Petroleo Brasileiro, which recently discovered a huge oil field, and America Movil, which is the top wireless operator in Mexico and is controlled by the world's second wealthiest man, Carlos Slim. It has only 1.4% in Cash. This fund has provided investors with exceptional returns during the past 5 years, the music has to stop at some point and I don't want to be a part of the Latin America sell-off, which tends to be prolonged from what I hear. As much as I'd like to have exposure to countries such as Brazil and Mexico, right now simply may not be the best time to do so with valuations soaring and global boom has become questionable.

T. Rowe Price Emerging (PRMSX)

Category: Diversifed Emerging Markets
Rating: 3
Capital Gains Exposure: 33%
Assets: $4.3 bil
Expense Ratio: 1.25%
Turnover Ratio: 44%
Yield: 0.74%
Redemption Period: 90 days
Redemption Fee: 2.0%
3-Year Total Cost: $400
Minimum Investment: $2,500
Comments: This fund has produced respectable returns and is in the top 20 among peers for 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year total returns. This fund moves with its category and doesn't do very well in the bear markets. It may lose somewhat less than some of its peers, but it will still lose and last time it stayed negative for 3 years after the market drop. This Large-cap Growth funds invests into Giant (30), Large (45), and Medium (24) companies. It invests into Telecom (6), Consumer Services (9), Business Services (8), Financials (36), Consumer Goods (7), Industrials (20), and Energy (8). It has exposure in Brazil (14), China (12), South Korea (11), India (10) Taiwan (8). This fund has a large number of holdings, 134, and reasonable annual turnover ratio of 44%. This fund makes for an interesting choice in the global bull market, but at this time I deem it too risky.

Other QikReviews:
Top Domestic Mutual Funds
Top Foreign Mutual Funds
Top Europe Stock Mutual Funds
Top Pacific/Asia ex-Japan Mutual Funds
Top Specialty-Precious Metals Mutual Funds
Top Specialty-Natural Resources Mutual Fund