Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is SEKSX a Strong Bond Fund Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

If you're looking for a Mutual Fund Bond fund category, then a potential option is AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I (SEKSX - Free Report) . SEKSX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.

History of Fund/Manager

SEKSX finds itself in the AIF family, based out of New York, NY. The AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I made its debut in December of 1990 and SEKSX has managed to accumulate roughly $138.13 million in assets, as of the most recently available information. Neil Klein is the fund's current manager and has held that role since December of 2016.

Performance

Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 0.57%, and is 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 -1.04%, which places it in the middle third during this time-frame.

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 11.17%, the standard deviation of SEKSX over the past three years is 6.03%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 4.82% compared to the category average of 9.6%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.

Expenses

As 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, SEKSX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.48% compared to the category average of 0.79%. From a cost perspective, SEKSX is actually cheaper than its peers.

Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $3 million and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $5,000.

Bottom Line

Overall, AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I ( SEKSX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I ( SEKSX ) looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now.

This could just be the start of your research on SEKSXin the Mutual Fund Bond 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. 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.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Carret Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I (SEKSX) - free report >>

Published in