, who've co-managed the fund since its inception in early 2004, Zackery and Dennison said they study a firm's management team, its ability to access capital, and how it's growing its revenue, earnings, and free cash flow.
As a growth investor, Zackery said he focuses on finding firms with overly conservative forward estimates. Revenue growth often gives the best view of a company's future potential, he added. Dennison added that the fund's long-term focus means it can invest in companies without earnings, provided that they're growing their bottom line, are on a path to profitability, and have a solid balance sheet.Although only a few stocks fit that mold and make it into the fund, those that do tend to stick around. The Virtus Zevenbergen Innovative Growth Stock Fund usually has 30-to-40 holdings at a time, Dennison said, and stocks stay in the portfolio for an average of over five years.