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Is SEKSX a Strong Bond Fund Right Now?

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Having trouble finding a Mutual Fund Bond fund? AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I (SEKSX - Free Report) is a possible starting point. SEKSX has 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

AIF is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of SEKSX. AI Kansas Tax-Exempt Bond I debuted in December of 1990. Since then, SEKSX has accumulated assets of about $118.46 million, according to the most recently available information. Neil Klein is the fund's current manager and has held that role since December of 2016.

Performance

Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. SEKSX has a 5-year annualized total return of 1.16% and it sits in the bottom 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 -1.26%, 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. SEKSX's standard deviation over the past three years is 7.3% compared to the category average of 10.04%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 6.07% compared to the category average of 10.09%. 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 0.85%. So, SEKSX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective.

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

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

Bottom Line

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

Want even more information about SEKSX? 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. Want to learn even more? We have a full suite of tools on stocks that you can use to find the best choices for your portfolio too, no matter what kind of investor you are.


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