Fund Evaluator:
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A (NRFAX)
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Best Performing in Global Real Estate Over the Last Year
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Fund Details
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A Overview
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A (NRFAX) is an actively managed Sector Equity Global Real Estate fund. Natixis Advisors launched the fund in 2000.
The investment seeks to provide investors with above-average income and long-term growth of capital. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in securities, including common stocks and preferred stocks, of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and/or real estate-related companies (e.g., real estate operating companies). It primarily invests in equity REITs, which own or lease real estate and derive their income primarily from rental income.
About Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A (NRFAX)
There are 1 members of the management team with an average tenure of 9.54 years: Gina Szymanski (2017). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 2 primary benchmarks: MSCI World NR USD index with a weighting of 100% and FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has 66 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 47.7% 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.
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the Sector Equity fund group. Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has 30.6% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 67.6%. There is 30.6% 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). Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has 1.0% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $11 million in total assets, which is below the $209 million average for the Global Real Estate 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.
NRFAX 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 Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Global Real Estate category. Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has an expense ratio of 1.15%, which is the same as its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a C. 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. Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has a portfolio turnover rate of 64%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 71% for the Global Real Estate category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A returned 2.7%, which earned it a grade of B, as the Global Real Estate category had an average return of 2.5%. 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.
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A has a trailing yield of 2.90%, which is above the 2.74% category average. The fund normally distributes its income quarterly 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.
Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate A Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 13.8%, 2.9 percentage points better than the category, which translates into a grade of B. The fund has returned 19.4% over the past year (grade of A), 10.1% over the past three years (grade of B) and 2.2% per year over the past five years (grade of B) and 3.6% per year over the past 10 years (grade of D).
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NRFAX 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 |
|
| NRFAX Return (NAV) | 2.7% | 3.2% | 19.4% | 10.1% | 2.2% | 3.6% |
| NRFAX Grade | B | A | A | B | B | D |
| +/- Category | 0.2% | 1.1% | 3.9% | 1.6% | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| Global Real Estate Avg | 2.5% | 2.1% | 15.4% | 8.5% | 0.9% | 4.1% |
| NRFAX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.8% |
NRFAX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| NRFAX Return (NAV) | 13.8% | 8.0% | 1.7% | 13.2% | -25.9% | 27.9% | -5.8% | 23.9% | -4.7% | 3.6% | 5.8% |
| NRFAX Grade | B | C | B | A | C | C | F | D | C | F | A |
| +/- Category | 2.9% | -1.3% | 1.1% | 2.8% | -0.0% | 3.3% | -4.1% | -1.6% | 1.1% | -10.3% | 2.7% |
| Global Real Estate Avg | 11.0% | 9.4% | 0.6% | 10.4% | -25.9% | 24.6% | -1.7% | 25.5% | -5.8% | 13.9% | 3.1% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 16.4% |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.33 - High |
| Category Risk Index: | 1.02 - Above Average |
| Category Risk Grade: | D (75% Rank) |
| Beta: | 1.00 |
| R-Squared: | 59% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Mid-Cap Blend |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 2.9% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Quarterly |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | Annually |
| Total Assets: | $36 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 12 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | A |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 64% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 1 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 9.5 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 9.5 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Szymanski Gina (2017) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 5/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 66 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 47.7% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 30.6% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 67.6% |
| Foreign Stock: | 30.6% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.8% |
| Cash: | 1.0% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Natixis Advisors |
| Phone Number: | 800-225-5478 |
| Website: | www.funds.natixis.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | December 29, 2000 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $2,500 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $1,000 |
| True No-Load: | No |
| Front Load Maximum: | 5.75% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | 0.25% |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 1.15% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.15% |
| Share Class: | Natixis AEW Global Focused Real Estate Y |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 50 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 50 |
