Is FPNIX a Strong Bond Fund Right Now?

On the lookout for an Investment Grade Bond - Short fund? Starting with FPA New Income Fund (FPNIX) is one possibility. FPNIX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

Objective

FPNIX is classified in the Investment Grade Bond - Short segment by Zacks, an area full of investment potential. By investing in bonds that mature in less than two years, Investment Grade Bond - Short funds are focused on the short end of the curve. Fixed income instruments at this maturity level tend to have low duration risk, but they also pay out small yields compared to their longer-dated peers. Furthermore, these funds'focus on investment grade make them safer, but yields will be lower than in the junk bond category.

History of Fund/Manager

FPA is based in Los Angeles, CA, and is the manager of FPNIX. FPA New Income Fund debuted in March of 1969. Since then, FPNIX has accumulated assets of about $8.87 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Abhijeet Patwardhan who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2015.

Performance

Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 2.99%, and it sits in the top 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 4.78%, 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. Compared to the category average of 2.75%, the standard deviation of FPNIX over the past three years is 2.88%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 2.35% compared to the category average of 2.56%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Bond Duration

Modified duration is a measure of a specific bond's interest rate sensitivity, and is an excellent way to judge how fixed income securities will respond to a shifting rate environment.

For investors who think interest rates will rise, this is an important factor to consider. FPNIX has a modified duration of 3.38, which suggests that the fund will decline 3.38% for every hundred-basis-point increase in interest rates.

This fund has a beta of 0.42, meaning that it is less volatile than a broad market index of fixed income securities. Taking this into account, FPNIX has a positive alpha of 1.38, which measures performance on a risk-adjusted basis.

Expenses

Costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing, and particularly as competition heats up in this market. And all things being equal, a lower cost product will outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, so taking a closer look at these metrics is key for investors. In terms of fees, FPNIX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.45% compared to the category average of 0.57%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, FPNIX is actually cheaper than its peers.

Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,500 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $100

Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into considiration. Returns would be less if those were included.

Bottom Line

Overall, FPA New Income Fund ( FPNIX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, FPA New Income Fund ( FPNIX ) looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.

Want even more information about FPNIX? 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. 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.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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