3 Gabelli Mutual Funds to Buy as Active Investing Regains Favor
Gabelli Mutual Funds, part of GAMCO Investors, has been a fixture in the U.S. asset management industry since the launch of its flagship Gabelli Asset Fund in 1986. Founded in 1977 by legendary value investor Mario Gabelli, the firm built its reputation on identifying companies trading below their estimated private market value, a disciplined value-investing approach that has shaped its investment philosophy for decades. As of March 31, 2026, the firm had $35.3 billion in assets under management.
In 2026, Gabelli has remained active despite a market dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) and large-cap technology stocks. The firm has continued publishing research on AI opportunities, hosted investor events focused on small-cap investing and expanded commentary on emerging themes ranging from digital connectivity to infrastructure. While several sector-specific Gabelli funds have posted strong year-to-date gains, the company has maintained its emphasis on fundamental research rather than chasing short-term market momentum.
For investors, Gabelli funds offer exposure to an experienced active management team and a long-established value-oriented investment process. However, active funds often carry higher expense ratios than passive index funds, and performance can lag during periods when growth stocks dominate the market. Investors should therefore evaluate each fund’s investment objective, historical risk-adjusted returns, portfolio concentration, fees and tax implications instead of relying solely on past performance.
As market leadership continues to shift, disciplined active management may uncover opportunities overlooked by broader indexes, but patience remains essential for long-term investors. Hence, it will be prudent to invest in Gabelli mutual funds if one is seeking stability in a market that is expected to remain volatile for a while. Astute investors should consider such funds at present. Mutual funds, in general, reduce transaction costs and diversify portfolios without an array of commission charges that are mostly associated with stock purchases (read more: Mutual Funds: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How They Make Investors Money).
We have thus selected three mutual funds that boast a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy), have positive three-year and five-year annualized returns and carry a low expense ratio.
Gabelli Global Rising Income and Dividend GAGCX primarily invests in dividend-paying and other income-producing securities across multiple countries, emphasizing international exposure. It is managed as a non-diversified portfolio.
Robert D. Leininger has been the lead manager of GAGCX since 2026. The three top holdings for GAGCX are Sony Corp. (7%), Berkshire Hathaway (3.3%) and Rolls Royce (2.2%).
GAGCX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 11.9% and 4.8%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.90%. GAGCX 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.
Gabelli International Small Cap GOCAX primarily invests in common stocks of non-U.S. small-cap companies, including those in emerging markets. The fund is managed as a non-diversified portfolio.
Caesar M.P. Bryan has been the lead manager of GOCAX since 1998. The three top holdings for GOCAX are Endeavour Mining (5.8%), Westgold Resources (5.1%) and Eldorado Gold (4.3%).
GOCAX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 12.4% and 1.4%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.91%. GOCAX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1.
Gabelli Global Content & Connect GTTIX primarily invests in telecommunications, media and technology companies with strong growth or value potential across multiple countries, emphasizing non-U.S. issuers. It is managed as a non-diversified portfolio.
Sergey Dluzhevskiy has been the lead manager of GTTIX since 2008. The three top holdings for GTTIX are SoftBank Group (9.6%), Alphabet (9%) and Prosus (6.1%).
GTTIX’s 3-year and 5-year annualized returns are 28% and 8.9%, respectively, and its net expense ratio is 0.91%. GTTIX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).