
The Allspring Precious Metals Fund has a rich history, with its performance reflecting the ups and downs of the precious metals market.
The fund's inception date is not specified in the provided article sections.
As of the last available data, the fund's 1-year return was 12.6% and its 3-year return was 8.5%.
This performance is a result of the fund's investment strategy, which focuses on precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum.
The fund's holdings include gold, which accounted for 76.4% of its total assets as of the last available data.
Investors who have been holding onto the fund for the long term have seen significant returns, with a 5-year annualized return of 9.1%.
This suggests that the fund has been a stable investment option for those willing to ride out market fluctuations.
Fund Details
The Allspring Precious Metals Fund has a rich history, having been established on January 20, 1998.
The fund is a part of the Allspring Funds family, which suggests a strong reputation and track record in the industry.
Michael Bradshaw serves as the manager of the fund, bringing his expertise to the table.
Here are the key details of the fund:
- Legal Name: Allspring Precious Metals Fund
- Fund Family Name: Allspring Funds
- Inception Date: January 20, 1998
- Shares Outstanding: N/A
- Share Class: A
- Currency: USD
- Domiciled Country: US
Investment Performance
The Allspring Precious Metals Fund has delivered impressive returns over the years. The fund's average annual returns show a 1-year return of 50.08% for the NAV and 41.46% for the LoadApplied, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 1-year return of 26.38%.
The fund's performance is also reflected in its 10-year returns, with the NAV returning 7.10% and the LoadApplied returning 6.47%. This is a notable achievement, especially considering the fund's expense ratio is capped at 1.09% through 2025.
Here are the fund's average annual returns over different time periods:
It's essential to note that high returns were primarily achieved during favorable market conditions, and investors should not expect consistent double-digit returns.
Average Annual Returns
Average annual returns are a key metric to consider when evaluating investment performance. They give you an idea of how well a fund has performed over a specific period.
The table below shows the average annual returns for various funds and indexes.
One-month, three-month, and year-to-date returns are not annualized. This means they don't factor in compounding, which can affect long-term growth.
Historical Prices
Investing in the stock market can be a thrilling experience, but it's essential to understand the historical performance of your investments. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions and set realistic expectations.
The historical highs and lows of an investment can be a great indicator of its volatility. For instance, the YTD high for this investment was $69.01 on February 13, 2025, while the YTD low was $55.89 on January 1, 2025.
Looking at the bigger picture, the 52-week high was also $69.01 on February 13, 2025, and the 52-week low was $39.38 on February 28, 2024.
Here's a summary of the historical highs and lows:
While past performance is no guarantee of future results, it's essential to understand the risks involved. For example, the worst quarterly return was -26.20% on June 30, 2022, which is a significant decline. On the other hand, the best quarterly return was 56.91% on June 30, 2020, which is a remarkable gain.
Understanding historical prices is crucial for making informed investment decisions. By analyzing the highs and lows, you can set realistic expectations and develop a strategy to mitigate risks.
Investment Metrics

The Allspring Precious Metals Fund is a solid choice for investors looking to diversify their portfolios. It's essential to understand the fund's performance metrics to make informed decisions.
The fund's growth over the past decade is impressive, with a hypothetical $10,000 investment growing to a significant amount. This chart shows the value of the investment over time, outperforming benchmarks and providing a substantial return on investment.
However, it's crucial to note that the fund's performance can be volatile, with a standard deviation of 33.29% over the past decade. This means that the fund's value can fluctuate significantly over time.
Here are some key performance metrics for the Allspring Precious Metals Fund:
These metrics provide a comprehensive view of the fund's performance and can help investors make informed decisions about their investments.
Performance Metrics
Performance Metrics are a crucial aspect of evaluating investment performance. They help investors understand how a particular investment has fared over time.
The Alpha metric measures the excess return of an investment compared to its benchmark. For example, in the 3-year period, the Alpha was 4.07, indicating that the investment outperformed its benchmark by 4.07%.
A low Beta of 0.86 in the 3-year period suggests that the investment was less volatile than its benchmark. This is a desirable trait for investors who want to minimize risk.
Information Ratio is another key metric that measures the excess return of an investment compared to its benchmark, relative to its volatility. In the 3-year period, the Information Ratio was 0.45, indicating that the investment's excess return was 0.45 standard deviations above its benchmark.
Sharpe Ratio measures the excess return of an investment compared to its risk, or volatility. In the 3-year period, the Sharpe Ratio was 0.32, indicating that the investment's excess return was 0.32 standard deviations above its risk.
Here's a summary of the key performance metrics:
R2 measures the proportion of the investment's returns that can be explained by its benchmark. In the 3-year period, R2 was 0.96, indicating that 96% of the investment's returns could be explained by its benchmark.
A low Tracking Error of 7.97 in the 3-year period suggests that the investment was closely aligned with its benchmark. This is a desirable trait for investors who want to minimize tracking error.
Standard Deviation measures the volatility of an investment. In the 3-year period, the Standard Deviation was 30.19, indicating that the investment was moderately volatile.
The Upside Market Capture Ratio measures the proportion of the investment's returns that come from the upside of the market. In the 3-year period, the Upside Market Capture Ratio was 79.12, indicating that 79.12% of the investment's returns came from the upside of the market.
The Downside Market Capture Ratio measures the proportion of the investment's returns that come from the downside of the market. In the 3-year period, the Downside Market Capture Ratio was 88.63, indicating that 88.63% of the investment's returns came from the downside of the market.
Concentration Analysis
In the concentration analysis, we're looking at how a fund's assets are distributed among its holdings. The fund in question, EKWAX, has a net asset value of $249 million.
EKWAX has a relatively high concentration of assets, with 66.15% of its net assets in its top 10 holdings. This is significantly higher than the low end of the category, which is 29.8%.
EKWAX's top 10 holdings account for 52.97% of its net assets, which is also higher than the low end of the category. The fund's weighting of its top 10 holdings is 56.92%.
Here's a breakdown of EKWAX's concentration analysis:
EKWAX's concentration analysis suggests that it has a relatively high level of concentration in its top holdings, which could be a factor for investors to consider.
Charges
The charges associated with the Allspring Precious Metals Fund are a crucial aspect to consider when investing. The total expense ratio is 0.8476%.
One of the main charges is the advisor fee expense, which accounts for 0.6509% of the total expense. This is a significant portion of the overall cost.
The administrator fee expense is another charge that adds up to 0.1302% of the total expense. This is a relatively small portion compared to the advisor fee expense.

There is also an expense waiver that reduces the total expense by 0.0588%. This is a positive aspect of the fund's charges.
Here's a breakdown of the various charges:
These charges are in addition to the registration fee expense, which is 0.0165% of the total expense. The other fee expense is a relatively small portion of the total, at 0.0067%.
Competitive Analysis
Allspring Precious Metals Fund is a unique investment option that stands out from other funds in the market. It's designed to provide investors with a way to diversify their portfolios by investing in a mix of gold, silver, and other precious metals.
The fund's investment strategy is focused on preserving capital and generating returns through the price appreciation of precious metals. This strategy is different from other funds that focus on actively trading or using leverage to amplify returns.
The fund's diversification strategy involves investing in a variety of precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. This helps to reduce risk and increase potential returns by spreading investments across different assets.
The Allspring Precious Metals Fund has a low expense ratio compared to other funds in its category, making it an attractive option for investors looking to save on fees. With a low expense ratio, investors can keep more of their returns.
The fund's management team has a wealth of experience in managing precious metals investments, which gives investors confidence in the fund's ability to navigate market fluctuations. They have a proven track record of successfully managing similar funds in the past.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are precious metals funds a good investment?
Precious metals funds can be a good investment due to their ability to hedge against inflation and provide a diversification benefit to a portfolio. Consider investing in precious metals funds as a way to add stability and value to your investment portfolio.
What is the best mutual fund for precious metals?
For investors seeking to diversify their portfolio with precious metals, the VanEck International Investors Gold Fund and the Allspring Precious Metals Fund are two top options to consider, each with its own unique investment approach and strategy.
What is the best precious metal investment?
For a relatively low-risk investment, consider gold, silver, or platinum due to their high liquidity. These popular precious metals are often a good starting point for investors.
Sources
- https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/ekwax/quote
- https://markets.businessinsider.com/funds/allspring-precious-metals-fund-class-inst-us94985d4916
- https://www.allspringglobal.com/investments/equity/mutual-funds/precious-metals/a/
- https://www.allspringglobal.com/investments/equity/strategies/precious-metals/
- https://www.dividend.com/funds/ekwax-allspring-precious-metals-a/
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