Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A (VAESX) Fund Overview
Educational signal · not a buy or sell recommendation · How to read this
Beta 0.78: the stock has moved about 22% less than the S&P 500.
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Machine-generated analysis by Stock Expert AI — model gemini-2.0-flash, generated Mar 17, 2026. Editorial oversight is systemic, not page-by-page. Editorially accountable: Sedat ANAK, Founder and Editor-in-Chief. Data sources: Financial Modeling Prep, Yahoo Finance, SEC EDGAR
Quick AnswerVirtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A (VAESX) trades at $17.16. Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A seeks capital appreciation by investing in equity or equity-linked securities of small-cap companies in emerging markets. Sector: Financials.
Price as of · Last analyzed: Mar 17, 2026Analyst Coverage for VAESX: VAESX does not currently have published analyst price targets in our coverage universe. This is common for smaller-cap names with limited Wall Street coverage.
Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A (VAESX) Financial Services Profile
Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A is a non-diversified fund focused on capital appreciation through investments in small-capitalization companies within emerging markets, primarily targeting equity or equity-linked securities of companies with market caps below $8 billion, excluding developed nations like the U.S. and Western Europe.
What Is the Investment Thesis for VAESX?
The Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A presents an investment opportunity for those seeking capital appreciation through exposure to emerging markets' small-cap equities. With a beta of 0.78, the fund demonstrates lower volatility compared to the broader market. The fund's focus on companies with market caps below $8 billion allows it to tap into potentially high-growth opportunities often overlooked by larger funds. However, the non-diversified nature of the fund increases risk. The absence of a dividend yield may deter income-focused investors. Success hinges on the subadviser's ability to identify and capitalize on undervalued small-cap companies in emerging markets, navigating the inherent political and economic risks associated with these regions. Investors should monitor the fund's performance against relevant benchmarks and assess their risk tolerance before investing.
Based on FMP financials and quantitative analysis
VAESX Key Highlights
The fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity or equity-linked securities of small capitalization companies located in emerging markets countries.
- The fund's subadviser considers small-capitalization companies to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations of less than $8 billion.
- Emerging markets countries generally include every nation in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most nations located in Western Europe.
- The fund is non-diversified, which could lead to higher volatility.
- The fund has a beta of 0.78, indicating lower volatility than the market average.
Who Are VAESX's Competitors?
VAESX is benchmarked below against 8 industry peers on price, market cap, and our AI MoonshotScore.
| Company | Price | Change | Market Cap | MoonshotScore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARSMX AMG River Road Small-Mid Cap Value Fund - Class N | $9.83 | 0.00% | $314M | — |
| GCCIX Goldman Sachs Commodity Strategy Fund Insti Cl | $10.44 | +0.58% | $378M | — |
| LSCNX Loomis Sayles Small Cap Value Fund Class N | $23.16 | +0.78% | $336M | — |
| LSCRX Loomis Sayles Small Capital Value Fund Retail Class | $21.67 | -1.77% | $334M | — |
| MNOSX Manning & Napier Overseas Series Class S | $39.15 | +0.18% | $308M | — |
| BLK BlackRock, Inc. | $1069.63 | -0.91% | $166B | — |
| BX Blackstone Inc. | $111.82 | -1.36% | $135B | — |
| APOS Apollo Global Management, Inc. | $25.50 | -0.39% | $74.6B | — |
AI Score by Stock Expert AI · Price data: FMP / Yahoo Finance
What Are VAESX's Key Strengths?
Focus on high-growth potential small-cap companies in emerging markets.
- Experienced subadviser with expertise in emerging markets investing.
- Non-diversified approach allows for concentrated investments in promising companies.
What Are VAESX's Weaknesses?
Non-diversified nature increases risk and volatility.
- Dependence on the subadviser's ability to identify and select successful investments.
- Limited geographic diversification within emerging markets.
What Are the Key Risks for VAESX?
Political and economic instability in emerging markets could negatively impact investment returns.
- Currency fluctuations could erode investment value.
- Increased competition from other asset management firms.
- The fund's non-diversified nature increases risk.
What Are VAESX's Competitive Advantages?
- Expertise in emerging markets small-cap investing.
- Established track record of identifying and investing in high-growth companies.
- Access to a network of local experts and resources in emerging markets.
What Does VAESX Do?
Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A is designed to achieve capital appreciation by investing primarily in the equity securities of small-capitalization companies located in emerging markets. The fund's strategy involves allocating at least 80% of its assets to equity or equity-linked securities. The fund's subadviser defines small-capitalization companies as those with a market capitalization of less than $8 billion at the time of initial investment. The fund focuses on emerging markets, which encompass nearly every nation globally, excluding the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe. As a non-diversified fund, it may concentrate its investments in a smaller number of companies, which can potentially lead to higher volatility compared to diversified funds. The fund's investment approach is geared towards investors seeking exposure to the growth potential of smaller companies in developing economies. The fund is managed with the goal of maximizing returns through strategic stock selection within the emerging markets small-cap universe, while accepting the higher risk profile associated with this asset class.
What Products and Services Does VAESX Offer?
- Invests in equity or equity-linked securities of small-cap companies.
- Focuses on companies located in emerging markets countries.
- Targets companies with market capitalizations of less than $8 billion at the time of initial purchase.
- Operates as a non-diversified fund.
- Seeks capital appreciation for its investors.
- Excludes companies from the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe.
How Does VAESX Make Money?
- Generates revenue through management fees charged on assets under management (AUM).
- Aims to achieve capital appreciation for investors through strategic investments.
- Utilizes a subadviser to identify and select promising small-cap companies in emerging markets.
What Industry Does VAESX Operate In?
Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A operates within the asset management industry, specifically targeting the emerging markets small-cap segment. This segment offers high growth potential but also comes with increased risk due to the volatility and political/economic uncertainties inherent in emerging economies. The competitive landscape includes other funds such as ARSMX, GCCIX, LSCNX, LSCRX, and MNOSX, each with its own investment strategy and risk profile. The fund's success depends on its ability to outperform its peers by identifying and capitalizing on undervalued opportunities within the emerging markets small-cap universe.
Who Are VAESX's Key Customers?
- Individual investors seeking exposure to emerging markets.
- Institutional investors looking for capital appreciation.
- Investors with a higher risk tolerance willing to invest in non-diversified funds.
Research confidence
Thin evidence — scoring coverage unknown. Treat this as a starting point, not a conclusion.
- ● Scoring coverage unknown
- ● Price is current
- ● No filing on record
- ● No analyst coverage
- ● This is a fund, not an operating company
VAESX Financials
Bull Case vs Bear Case
Bull Case
- Focus on high-growth potential small-cap companies in emerging markets.
- Experienced subadviser with expertise in emerging markets investing.
- Non-diversified approach allows for concentrated investments in promising companies.
- Ongoing: Continued growth and development of emerging market economies.
Bear Case
- Non-diversified nature increases risk and volatility.
- Dependence on the subadviser's ability to identify and select successful investments.
- Limited geographic diversification within emerging markets.
- Potential: Political and economic instability in emerging markets could negatively impact investment returns.
AI-generated arguments based on insider flow, news sentiment and technicals — not financial advice · March 2026
VAESX Latest News
No recent news available for VAESX.
VAESX Analyst Consensus
Consensus Rating
Aggregated Buy/Hold/Sell recommendations collected by Financial Modeling Prep for VAESX.
Price Targets
Wall Street price target analysis for VAESX.
VAESX MoonshotScore
MoonshotScore is Stock Expert AI's proprietary 0-100 research rating, not a buy or sell recommendation. No MoonshotScore is published for VAESX; grades run from A+ (80-100) to F (below 30).
What Investors Ask About Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A (VAESX) — Financials
What are the main risks for VAESX?
The primary risks associated with Virtus KAR Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund A stem from its focus on emerging markets and small-capitalization companies.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a financial advisor.
Official Resources
MoonshotScore is not published for this security.
Data provided for informational purposes only.
- Reliance on provided source data; accuracy depends on source fidelity.