Allspring Special Mid Cap Value Fund: A Balanced Investment Approach

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value Fund is a great option for investors looking for a balanced approach to investing in mid-cap value stocks. This fund uses a disciplined, research-driven approach to identify undervalued companies with strong fundamentals.

The fund's investment approach is centered around the idea of finding companies that are trading at a discount to their intrinsic value. This involves a thorough analysis of each company's financials, management team, and competitive position.

By focusing on mid-cap value stocks, the fund aims to provide a more stable and predictable source of returns compared to smaller or growth-oriented stocks. This approach can be beneficial for investors who are looking for a more conservative investment option.

The fund's portfolio is actively managed by experienced investment professionals who have a deep understanding of the mid-cap value investing space.

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value Fund has a legal name that's straightforward: Allspring Special Mid Cap Value Fund.

It's part of the Allspring Funds family, which is a well-established fund family.

The fund was launched on June 28, 2013, making it a relatively new fund on the market.

Here are some key details about the fund's shares:

The fund is domiciled in the United States, which is a common location for investment funds.

Bryant VanCronkhite is the manager behind the fund, bringing their expertise to the table.

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value fund has a strong track record of growth, with a hypothetical $10,000 investment showing impressive returns over the specified time period.

This growth is measured against benchmarks, which include a broad-based market index and a peer group average or index, giving investors a clear picture of the fund's performance.

The fund's growth is based on the assumption of reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, and does not include sales charges, which would lower returns.

A $10,000 investment can grow significantly over time, but it's essential to understand how the fund's performance is measured.

The value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in the fund can be seen in charts that show its growth over 10 years or since inception, compared to benchmarks like a broad-based market index.

Market indexes don't include expenses, which are deducted from fund returns, making them a more favorable comparison for investors.

Funds with 10-year records can be compared to benchmarks, while those lacking 10-year records can only show performance since inception.

Sales charges and expenses can eat into returns, making it essential to consider them when investing in a fund.

Reinvesting dividends and capital gains can help your investment grow over time, but it's crucial to understand the impact of sales charges on your returns.

WFMDX's performance objective and investment process are clearly defined and repeatable, which is a good sign. The Process Pillar is one of the key factors in determining its potential for future outperformance.

A high-quality management team is essential for delivering superior performance, and WFMDX has that. The People Pillar is a strong aspect of the fund, with experienced and able management.

The management team's experience and ability are crucial in achieving consistent results. WFMDX's management team has a proven track record of delivering superior performance relative to its benchmarks and/or peers.

WFMDX's parent organization's priorities are also worth considering. The Parent Pillar is our rating of WFMDX's parent organization's priorities and whether they're in line with investors' interests.

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value strategy is designed to navigate the complexities of mid-cap investing, but it's essential to understand the potential risks involved. Market risk is a significant concern, as security markets can decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments.

Equity securities risk is another factor to consider, as the value of these securities can fluctuate in response to factors specific to the issuer, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for their products or services. This can result in price volatility, making it challenging to predict returns.

Investing in smaller-capitalization companies carries additional risks, as small-cap securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than those of larger companies.

Average annual returns can be a bit tricky to wrap your head around, but essentially, they give you an idea of how a fund has performed over a year. The figures quoted in the table represent past performance, which is no guarantee of future results.

Looking at the table, we can see that the one-year return for the Fund is 27.88%, which is significantly higher than the Russell Midcap Value Index at 31.50%. The Lipper Mid-Cap Core Funds also performed well, with a one-year return of 29.65%.

Over a five-year period, the Fund's return is 11.55%, while the Russell Midcap Value Index has a return of 10.92%. The Lipper Mid-Cap Core Funds have a slightly higher return of 11.29%.

Here's a quick snapshot of the average annual returns for each fund over different time periods:

Keep in mind that these figures are not annualized, and the past performance of a fund is no guarantee of its future results.

Market risk can be significant, as security markets are volatile and may decline in response to adverse developments. This can affect different sectors and security types in varying ways.

Equity securities are known to fluctuate in value, influenced by factors such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer's products or services. These factors can be unpredictable and lead to price changes.

Small-cap securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than those of larger companies, making them riskier investments. This increased volatility can lead to significant losses.

Investing in foreign securities can be subject to lower liquidity, greater price volatility, and risks related to adverse political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can also impact these investments.

Investors should be aware that these are just a few of the potential risks involved in this strategy, and there may be others. For more information about the investment manager, please refer to Form ADV Part 2.

Dividend Yield Analysis plays a crucial role in assessing the potential returns of an investment.

The dividend yield of WFPRX is 1.42%, which is significantly lower than the category high of 22.79%. This indicates that WFPRX is not prioritizing dividend payments, focusing instead on growth or other investment strategies.

To put this in perspective, the category low for dividend yield is 0.00%, while the category high is 22.79%. WFPRX's dividend yield ranks 1.67% among its peers, suggesting a relatively conservative approach to dividend distribution.

Here's a brief comparison of WFPRX's dividend yield with its category:

This dividend yield analysis provides a snapshot of WFPRX's investment strategy and potential returns.

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value fund is designed to track the Russell Mid Cap Value Index, which means it invests in mid-cap stocks with a value tilt. This fund has a total net assets of $2.3 billion.

The fund's investment strategy focuses on finding undervalued companies with strong fundamentals. It seeks to identify companies with a low price-to-earnings ratio, low price-to-book ratio, and high dividend yield.

Net Income Ratio Analysis is a key metric in financial analysis, and it's essential to understand how it works. The Net Income Ratio is a percentage that represents the company's net income as a percentage of its total revenue.

For example, WFPRX has a Net Income Ratio of 0.60%. This means that for every dollar of revenue, the company makes 0.60 cents in profit. In comparison, the Category Low is -1.84%, indicating that some companies in the same category are actually losing money.

The Net Income Ratio can be a useful benchmark for evaluating a company's financial health. WFPRX's Net Income Ratio of 0.60% ranks 62.46% in its category, suggesting that it's performing better than many of its peers.

Here's a breakdown of the Net Income Ratio for WFPRX and its category:

This table shows that WFPRX's Net Income Ratio is significantly higher than the Category Low, indicating a more profitable business model. However, it's still lower than the Category High, suggesting that there's room for improvement.

Historical prices are a great way to understand the performance of an investment over time. The highest price reached in the past year was $47.93 on January 5, 2025.

The lowest price of the year so far was $46.81 on January 10, 2025. This shows that the investment has been volatile in the past few weeks.

The 52-week high was $55.27 on December 1, 2024, indicating a significant peak in the investment's value. This suggests that the investment has had a strong run in the past year.

On the other hand, the 52-week low was $44.72 on January 17, 2024, showing that the investment has also experienced a significant decline. This highlights the importance of diversification in investment portfolios.

Here are the notable price milestones over the past year:

The best quarterly return was 19.92% on December 31, 2020, while the worst quarterly return was -31.71% on March 31, 2020. These returns highlight the importance of considering long-term performance when evaluating an investment.

In the world of investing, it's essential to understand how your money grows over time. The growth of a $10,000 investment in Allspring Special Mid Cap Value is a key factor to consider.

The chart shows that a hypothetical $10,000 investment in the fund can grow significantly over a 10-year period.

Market indexes, like the broad-based market index, do not include expenses, which are deducted from fund returns.

The Allspring Special Mid Cap Value fund has a cost advantage over its competitors, priced within the second-lowest fee quintile among peers.

This fund is a great option for those looking to invest in mid-cap value stocks without breaking the bank.

It's worth noting that the fund's pricing strategy is a key factor in its overall performance and appeal to investors.

The fund's ability to maintain a cost advantage is a significant advantage in a competitive market, allowing it to offer more value to its investors.