Wasatch Advisors, which closed its Small Cap Value and Core Growth funds to new investors in July 2001 and January 2002, respectively, is now closing them to existing shareholders as well. The firm filed prospectus supplements with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week. Both closings will go into effect on March 28.
The funds originally closed to new investors to keep assets at an appropriate level so that the funds could invest in small stocks. The firm decided to close them completely because existing Wasatch shareholders continued to pump money into the funds. The firm did not want to alter the funds investment style because of an influx of assets, said Sam Stewart, chairman of the Wasatch Funds.
"[Closing the funds] is the path weve chosen. It is the one we feel best protects the interest of our shareholders," Stewart said.
Both the $1.3 billion Core Growth fund and the $628 million Small Cap Value fund have performed extraordinarily well. With one-year returns above 38%, both funds rank in the top 1% in their category, according to Chicago-based Morningstar.
