Fund Evaluator:
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor (WAESX)Best Performing in Diversified Emerging Mkts Over the Last Year
| 69.4% | Invesco Emerging Markets ex-China Y (GTDYX) |
| 66.8% | WCM Focused Emerging Mkts Ex Chn Inv (WCFEX) |
| 63.7% | Matthews Emerging Markets Sust Fut Inv (MASGX) |
| 61.5% | American Century Emerging Markets Y (AEYMX) |
| 61.0% | American Century Emerging Markets Inv (TWMIX) |
Fund Details
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor Overview
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor (WAESX) is an actively managed International Equity Diversified Emerging Mkts fund. Wasatch launched the fund in 2012.
The investment seeks long-term growth of capital. The fund invests primarily in companies of all market capitalizations that are tied economically to emerging market countries. It will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the equity securities of companies that are tied economically to emerging market countries. The fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few sectors. These sectors were health care, industrials, consumer discretionary, information technology, and financials. It is non-diversified.
About Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor (WAESX)
There are 5 members of the management team with an average tenure of 5.44 years: Lakshman Venkitaraman (2026), Scott Thomas (2016), Stuart Rigby (2025), Anh Hoang (2025), Ajay Krishnan (2012). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 2 primary benchmarks: MSCI EM NR USD index with a weighting of 100% and MSCI EM Mid Growth NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has 40 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 50.7% 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.
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity fund group. Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has 98.7% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 1.0%. There is 98.7% 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). Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has 0.3% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $29 million in total assets, which is below the $1 billion average for the Diversified Emerging Mkts 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.
WAESX 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 Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Diversified Emerging Mkts category. Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has an expense ratio of 1.37%, which is 18% 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. Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has a portfolio turnover rate of 28%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 68% for the Diversified Emerging Mkts category.
Recently, in the month of June 2026, Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor returned 3.6%, which earned it a grade of A, as the Diversified Emerging Mkts category had an average return of 0.2%. 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.
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 1.58% 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.
Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Investor Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 10.7%, 15.0 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of F. The fund has returned 11.6% over the past year (grade of F), 9.4% over the past three years (grade of F) and -0.7% per year over the past five years (grade of F) and 8.5% per year over the past 10 years (grade of D).
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WAESX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 6/30/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| WAESX Return (NAV) | 3.6% | 18.4% | 11.6% | 9.4% | -0.7% | 8.5% |
| WAESX Grade | A | D | F | F | F | D |
| +/- Category | 3.4% | -3.7% | -32.5% | -12.5% | -7.1% | -1.2% |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | 0.2% | 22.0% | 44.1% | 21.9% | 6.4% | 9.7% |
| WAESX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
WAESX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 6/30/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| WAESX Return (NAV) | 10.7% | 10.6% | -0.1% | 17.5% | -37.4% | 21.3% | 48.4% | 28.0% | -11.5% | 37.7% | -5.1% |
| WAESX Grade | F | F | F | A | F | A | A | A | A | C | F |
| +/- Category | -15.0% | -20.9% | -6.3% | 5.4% | -14.8% | 21.6% | 26.8% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 1.1% | -13.7% |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | 25.7% | 31.4% | 6.2% | 12.1% | -22.6% | -0.2% | 21.6% | 21.9% | -16.4% | 36.6% | 8.6% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 16.1% |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.33 - Above Average |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.99 - Average |
| Category Risk Grade: | C (51% Rank) |
| Beta: | 0.86 |
| R-Squared: | 55% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Large-Cap Growth |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 0.0% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Annually |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | |
| Total Assets: | $172 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 29 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | Inv |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 28% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 5 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 13.6 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 5.4 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Krishnan Ajay (2012), Thomas Scott (2016), Rigby Stuart (2025), Hoang Anh (2025), Venkitaraman Lakshman (2026) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 3/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 40 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 50.7% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | Yes |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 98.7% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 1.0% |
| Foreign Stock: | 98.7% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 0.3% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Wasatch |
| Phone Number: | 800-551-1700 |
| Website: | www.wasatchfunds.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | December 13, 2012 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $2,000 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $2,000 |
| True No-Load: | Yes |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 2.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | na |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 1.37% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.16% |
| Share Class: | Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Instl |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 100 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 100 |