Any investors hoping to find a Non US - Equity fund could think about starting with Dodge & Cox International Stock DODFX. DODFX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.ObjectiveZacks categorizes DODFX as Non US - Equity, a segment stacked high with options. Non US - Equity mutual funds like to invest in companies outside of the United States, an important characteristic since global mutual funds are known to keep a good portion of their portfolio stateside. These kinds of funds can often extend across all cap levels, and will typically allocate their investments between emerging and developed markets.History of Fund/ManagerDODFX finds itself in the Dodge & Cox family, based out of Boston, MA. Dodge & Cox International Stock made its debut in May of 2001, and since then, DODFX has accumulated about $61.46 billion in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund's current manager, a team of investment professionals.PerformanceObviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 9.73%, and is in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 4.38%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame.When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of DODFX over the past three years is 14.54% compared to the category average of 12.78%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 13.51% compared to the category average of 12.08%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.Risk FactorsIt's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. In the most recent bear market, DODFX lost 59.94% and underperformed comparable funds by 1.57%. These results could imply that the fund is a worse choice than its peers during a sliding market environment.Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. DODFX has a 5-year beta of 1.12, which means it is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. With a negative alpha of -5.97, managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.ExpensesFor investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, DODFX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.64% compared to the category average of 1.31%. DODFX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost.This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500, and each subsequent investment should be at least $100.Bottom LineOverall, Dodge & Cox International Stock DODFX has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now.Your research on the Non US - Equity segment doesn't have to stop here. You can check out all the great mutual fund tools we have to offer by going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds to see the additional features we offer as well for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike.View All Zacks #1 Ranked Mutual FundsWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (DODFX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.