Fund Evaluator:
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional (CIPTX)
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Best Performing in Mid-Cap Growth Over the Last Year
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| 23.3% | Sit Small Cap Growth (SSMGX) |
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| 19.2% | ProFunds Mid Cap Growth Inv (MGPIX) |
Fund Details
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional Overview
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional (CIPTX) is an actively managed U.S. Equity Mid-Cap Growth fund. Champlain Funds launched the fund in 2023.
The investment seeks capital appreciation. The fund invests primarily in securities of mid- to large-capitalization companies. The fund may also invest in securities of small-capitalization companies, which the Adviser considers to be a company that, at the time of initial purchase, is included in either the S&P SmallCap 600 or the Russell 2000 Index, or that has a market capitalization that falls within the range of the Russell 2000 Index as measured as of the index’s most recent annual reconstitution. The fund is non-diversified.
About Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional (CIPTX)
There are 11 members of the management team with an average tenure of 2.79 years: Joseph Farley (2023), Finn McCoy (2023), Joseph Caligiuri (2023), James Mallon (2023), Henry Sinkula (2023), Courtney Flyer (2023), Jacqueline Williams (2023), Ethan Ellison (2023), Rachel Drakon (2023), Scott Brayman (2023), Robert Hallisey (2023). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 2 primary benchmarks: Russell 3000 TR USD index with a weighting of 100% and Russell Mid Cap Growth TR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has 30 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 48.8% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a nondiversified fund. The fund is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the U.S. Equity fund group. Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has 3.1% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 95.5%. There is 3.1% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has 1.4% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $3 million in total assets, which is below the $658 million average for the Mid-Cap Growth category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
CIPTX Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Mid-Cap Growth category. Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has an expense ratio of 0.85%, which is 22% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a B. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has a portfolio turnover rate of 55%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 77% for the Mid-Cap Growth category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional returned 1.3%, which earned it a grade of A, as the Mid-Cap Growth category had an average return of -5.5%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 0.03% category average. The fund normally distributes its income annually and its capital gains annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 4.2%, 1.5 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of C. The fund has returned 3.1% over the past year (grade of C).
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CIPTX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| CIPTX Return (NAV) | 1.3% | 12.2% | 3.1% | na | na | na |
| CIPTX Grade | A | A | C | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | 6.9% | 10.0% | -2.4% | na | na | na |
| Mid-Cap Growth Avg | -5.5% | 2.1% | 5.5% | 10.5% | 2.5% | 10.9% |
| CIPTX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.3% | na | na | na |
CIPTX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| CIPTX Return (NAV) | 4.2% | 5.7% | 4.4% | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| CIPTX Grade | C | C | F | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | -1.5% | -0.3% | -12.9% | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| Mid-Cap Growth Avg | 5.7% | 6.1% | 17.3% | 20.8% | -28.1% | 12.3% | 40.4% | 33.9% | -4.6% | 25.3% | 5.3% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | na |
| Total Risk Index: | na |
| Category Risk Index: | na |
| Category Risk Grade: | |
| Beta: | na |
| R-Squared: | na |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Mid-Cap Growth |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 0.0% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Annually |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | Annually |
| Total Assets: | $3 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 4 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | Inst |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 55% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 11 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 2.8 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 2.8 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Farley Joseph (2023), McCoy Finn (2023), Caligiuri Joseph (2023), Mallon James (2023), Sinkula Henry (2023), Flyer Courtney (2023), Williams Jacqueline (2023), Ellison Ethan (2023), Drakon Rachel (2023), Brayman Scott (2023), Hallisey Robert (2023) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 3/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 30 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 48.8% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | Yes |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 3.1% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 95.5% |
| Foreign Stock: | 3.1% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 1.4% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Champlain Funds |
| Phone Number: | 866-773-3238 |
| Website: | www.cipvt.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | October 16, 2023 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $1,000,000 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
| True No-Load: | Yes |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | na |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.85% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.09% |
| Share Class: | Champlain Strategic Focus Institutional |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 0 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
