The global financial services group Nomura operates in 30 countries. It offers investment management services through funds. Nomura’s mutual funds include equity investment options and credit investment options. Nomura’s investment team makes decisions through research. The research combines the company analysis, the credit strength evaluation, and the risk management assessment instead of following market benchmarks. The combination of those elements makes Nomura’s disciplined investment approach.
We have chosen three Nomura mutual funds —Nomura Emerging Markets (DEMAX), Nomura Small Cap Growth (WSCYX) and Nomura Floating Rate (DDFFX) — that investors should buy now for the long term. These funds have a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), positive three-year and five-year annualized returns, minimum initial investments within $5000 and expense ratios considerably lower than the category average. So, these funds have provided a comparatively stronger performance and carry a lower fee.
Nomura Emerging Markets fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. DEMAX invests primarily in equity securities of issuers located or operating in emerging countries.
Liu-Er Chen has been the lead manager of DEMAX since Sept. 25, 2006. Most of the fund's holdings were in companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (15.4%), SK Square Co., Ltd. (11.8%) and SK hynix Inc. (10.5%) as of Aug. 31, 2025.
DEMAX's 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 32.5% and 10.1%, respectively. Its net expense ratio is 1.42%. DEMAX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1.
To see how this fund performed compared to its category and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds,please click here.
Nomura Small Cap Growth fund seeks to achieve its goal by investing primarily in common stocks of domestic and foreign companies whose market capitalizations are within the range of capitalizations of companies included in the Lipper Small Cap Category (small-cap stocks).
Timothy J. Miller has been the lead manager of WSCYX since April 1, 2010. Most of the fund's holdings were in companies like Lumentum Holdings Inc. (3.4%), OSI Systems, Inc. (3.2%) and Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (2.6%) as of Sept. 30, 2025.
WSCYX's 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 13.7% and 2%, respectively. Its net expense ratio is 1.13%. WSCYX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1.
Nomura Floating Rate fund invests a majority of its assets in floating-rate loans and other floating-rate debt securities.
John P. McCarthy has been the lead manager of DDFFX since Jan. 31, 2017. Most of the fund's holdings were in companies like Misc Bonds (59.1%), Cash (5.2%) and Applied Systems, Inc., Second-Lien (1.5%) as of July 31, 2025.
DDFFX's 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 8.5% and 5.6%, respectively. Its net expense ratio is 1.15%. DDFFX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1.
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