Fund Evaluator:
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv (MXEVX)Best Performing in Foreign Large Blend Over the Last Year
| 35.2% | AB International Strat Eqs Z (STEZX) |
| 32.9% | NYLI WMC International Research Eq Cl I (MYIIX) |
| 31.4% | Nationwide Bailard Intl Eqs M (NWHLX) |
| 31.2% | Goldman Sachs Intl Eq Insghts Inv (GCITX) |
| 31.2% | Vanguard International Core Stock Adm (VZICX) |
Fund Details
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv Overview
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv (MXEVX) is an actively managed International Equity Foreign Large Blend fund. Empower Funds launched the fund in 2020.
The investment seeks long-term growth of capital. The fund will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers economically tied to countries other than the U.S., including those in emerging markets. The fund may have exposure to non-U.S. stocks across any market capitalization and style and the fund's exposure will vary from time to time across sectors. Equity securities include common stock and other investment instruments such as depositary receipts and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the return of a broad-based international securities index.
About Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv (MXEVX)
There are 11 members of the management team with an average tenure of 6.23 years: Puneet Mansharamani (2018), Louis Florentin-Lee (2025), Barnaby Wilson (2025), Greg Sleight (2018), Guy Lakonishok (2018), Nicola Dowdall (2018), Michael Lynch (2018), Peter Leonard (2018), Josef Lakonishok (2018), Robert Failla (2025), Menno Vermeulen (2018). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 1 primary benchmark: MSCI EAFE NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has 830 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 11.6% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The fund is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity fund group. Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has 94.7% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 2.3%. There is 94.7% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.7% (0.7% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has 2.0% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $1 billion in total assets, which is below the $2 billion average for the Foreign Large Blend 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.
MXEVX 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 Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Foreign Large Blend category. Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has an expense ratio of 1.00%, which is 6% higher than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a D. 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. Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has a portfolio turnover rate of 42%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 62% for the Foreign Large Blend category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv returned 2.8%, which earned it a grade of A, as the Foreign Large Blend category had an average return of 0.7%. 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.
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv has a trailing yield of 2.27%, which is above the 2.17% category average. The fund normally distributes its income 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.
Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Inv Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 9.2%, 2.4 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of F. The fund has returned 20.7% over the past year (grade of F), 13.9% over the past three years (grade of D) and 7.5% per year over the past five years (grade of D).
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MXEVX 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 |
|
| MXEVX Return (NAV) | 2.8% | 4.9% | 20.7% | 13.9% | 7.5% | na |
| MXEVX Grade | A | B | F | D | D | na |
| +/- Category | 2.1% | 0.5% | -3.5% | -1.9% | -0.9% | na |
| Foreign Large Blend Avg | 0.7% | 4.4% | 24.2% | 15.9% | 8.4% | 9.1% |
| MXEVX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.2% | na |
MXEVX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| MXEVX Return (NAV) | 9.2% | 28.7% | 2.9% | 17.1% | -14.7% | 9.8% | 8.0% | 23.0% | na | na | na |
| MXEVX Grade | F | D | F | C | B | D | D | C | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | -2.4% | -1.8% | -2.0% | 0.8% | 1.7% | -0.4% | -3.8% | 0.1% | na | na | na |
| Foreign Large Blend Avg | 11.6% | 30.5% | 4.9% | 16.2% | -16.4% | 10.2% | 11.8% | 22.9% | -15.2% | 26.4% | 1.0% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 12.4% |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.01 - Average |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.96 - Below Average |
| Category Risk Grade: | B (26% Rank) |
| Beta: | 0.83 |
| R-Squared: | 85% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Large-Cap Blend |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 2.3% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Annually |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | |
| Total Assets: | $1214 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $1,193 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | Inv |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 42% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 11 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 8.1 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 6.2 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Sleight Greg (2018), Lakonishok Guy (2018), Dowdall Nicola (2018), Lynch Michael (2018), Leonard Peter (2018), Lakonishok Josef (2018), Mansharamani Puneet (2018), Vermeulen Menno (2018), Florentin-Lee Louis (2025), Wilson Barnaby (2025), Failla Robert (2025) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 3/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 830 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 11.6% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 94.7% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 2.3% |
| Foreign Stock: | 94.7% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.7% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.2% |
| Cash: | 2.0% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Empower Funds |
| Phone Number: | 866-831-7129 |
| Website: | www.greatwestfunds.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | September 3, 2020 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $ 0 |
| 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: | 0.00% |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 1.00% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.94% |
| Share Class: | Empower Core Strategies Intl Eq Instl |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 0 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |