When assessing a mutual fund, which share class is associated with a front-end sales charge?

When evaluating mutual funds, Class A shares are associated with a front-end sales charge. This type of charge is deducted from the initial investment amount, which means that when an investor purchases Class A shares, a portion of their contribution goes towards this sales charge. The remaining funds are then invested in the mutual fund, providing a lower amount of capital working for the investor compared to their initial input.

The presence of this upfront charge is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Class A shares. Investors may prefer these shares if they plan to hold them long-term since Class A shares typically have lower ongoing expenses compared to other share classes, making them potentially more cost-effective over time for longer horizons.

In contrast, other classes like Class B and Class C shares do not have front-end loads but may have higher expense ratios or deferred sales charges, making them less favorable for long-term investors. Class D shares typically represent institutional clients or specific types of arrangements and do not conform to the standard structure of other classes associated with front-end or back-end sales charges.