These figures can help tell you whether the fund earned most of its returns in a few small bursts or whether its returns came in a steadier stream. The risks the fund takes to achieve its returns. Read the fund's prospectus to learn about its investment strategy. Funds that have had rates of return may take risks that are beyond your comfort level and are inconsistent with your financial goals. Any recent changes in the fund's operations.
Operational changes can affect future fund performance.
The types of services offered and fees charged by the fund. You should find out how easily you can buy and sell shares and whether the fund charges a fee for buying and selling shares. How the fund impacts the diversification within your portfolio. When choosing a mutual fund, you should consider how that fund affects the overall diversification of your portfolio. A mutual fund's NAV is calculated by dividing the total value of the fund's holdings by the number of outstanding shares of the fund at the end of each trading day.