About WELIX
The William Blair Emerging Markets Leaders Fund Class R6 is a mutual fund designed to provide investors with exposure to a select group of leading companies within emerging markets, aiming for long-term capital appreciation. Managed by William Blair, the fund primarily invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of companies located in countries classified as emerging markets—those outside the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and most of Western Europe. This approach gives the fund access to diverse growth dynamics across Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and other underdeveloped regions, sectors often underrepresented in conventional global portfolios.
The fund is actively managed with a portfolio typically holding between 60 and 70 equity positions, emphasizing quality businesses with robust fundamentals and competitive advantages. Sectors such as technology, financial services, energy, and consumer cyclical are well represented in its holdings, reflecting the broad-based growth themes prevalent in emerging economies. The top ten holdings account for just over 40% of the portfolio, which, while concentrated, is consistent with its leadership-focused mandate.
With an below-average expense ratio for its class and a minimum investment of $1 million, the William Blair Emerging Markets Leaders Fund Class R6 is positioned as a cost-effective, institutional-quality vehicle for investors seeking growth through leading companies in the developing world. Its long-term performance has been competitive within the diversified emerging markets category, and the fund serves as a way to gain diversified exposure to the leaders shaping economic progress in dynamic, often high-growth regions.
Fund Family William Blair
Category Diversified Emerging Mkts
Performance Rating Below Average
Risk Rating Average
Stock Exchange Nasdaq
Ticker Symbol WELIX
Share Class Class R6
Index MSCI EM (Emerging Markets) NR USD
WELIX had a total return of 9.75% in the past year, including dividends. Since the fund's
inception, the average annual return has been 3.44%.
