Is Fidelity Select Software & IT Services (FSCSX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now?

Sector - Tech fund seekers should consider taking a look at Fidelity Select Software & IT Services (FSCSX). FSCSX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on various forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveWe note that FSCSX is a Sector - Tech option, and this area is loaded with many options. Found in a wide number of industries such as semiconductors, software, internet, and networking, tech companies are everywhere. Thus, Sector - Tech mutual funds that invest in technology let investors own a stake in a notoriously volatile sector, but with a much more diversified approach.History of Fund/ManagerFidelity is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of FSCSX. Fidelity Select Software & IT Services debuted in July of 1985. Since then, FSCSX has accumulated assets of about $10.59 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund's current manager, Ali Khan, has been in charge of the fund since July of 2014.PerformanceInvestors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 12.58%, and is in the bottom third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 19.71%, 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. Over the past three years, FSCSX's standard deviation comes in at 21.65%, compared to the category average of 24.19%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 20.98% compared to the category average of 24.25%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsWith a 5-year beta of 1.14, the fund is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -4.6, which shows that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.HoldingsInvestigating the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is largely on equities that are traded in the United States.Right now, 77.76% of this mutual fund's holdings are stocks, which have an average market capitalization of $882.78 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors:TechnologyTurnover is about 14%, so those in charge of the fund make fewer trades than its comparable peers.ExpensesCosts 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, FSCSX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.62% compared to the category average of 1.26%. So, FSCSX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective.Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $0 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount.Fees charged by investment advisors have not been taken into consideration. Returns would be less if those were included.Bottom LineOverall, Fidelity Select Software & IT Services ( FSCSX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a great potential choice for investors right now.For additional information on the Sector - Tech area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into FSCSX too for additional information. 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Click to get this free report Get Your Free (FSCSX): Fund Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks