Ron Rowland: Twenty-three ETFs and two ETNs came to market in March. Meanwhile, five ETFs shuttered operations and are no longer with us. The net increase of twenty puts the month-end count of listed products at 1,687, consisting of 1,480 ETFs and 207 ETNs. Actively managed funds added one to their roster, bringing the count to 124.
Asset levels saw little change during the month, remaining at about $2.1 trillion. Assets in ETNs had a 1.3% drop to $27.3 billion, and actively managed ETF assets declined 1.0% to $19.3 billion. The number of funds with more than $10 billion in assets held steady at 49. While representing only 2.9% of the product quantity, these 29 account for 58.3% of overall industry assets. The number of products with more than $1 billion increased from 259 to 262 and control 89.8% of the assets.
Trading activity jumped 24% in March with $1.65 trillion worth of products changing hands. Eight products averaged more than $1 billion per day, and this very small minority accounted for the majority of all trading at 52.4%. These elite trading eight are SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM), PowerShares QQQ (QQQ), iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (EEM), SPDR Energy Select Sector (XLE), iShares MSCI EAFE Index (EFA), iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX), and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT).
March 2015 Month End
ETFs
ETNs
Total
Currently Listed U.S.
1,480
207
1,687
Listed as of 12/31/2014
1,451
211
1,662
New Introductions for Month
23
2
25
Delistings/Closures for Month
5
0
5
Net Change for Month
+18
+2
+20
New Introductions 6 Months
103
6
109
New Introductions YTD
57
3
60
Delistings/Closures YTD
28
7
35
Net Change YTD
+29
-4
+25
Assets Under Mgmt ($ billion)
$2,058
$27.3
$2,085
% Change in Assets for Month
+0.0%
-1.3%
+0.0%
% Change in Assets YTD
+4.4%
+1.4%
+4.3%
Qty AUM > $10 Billion
49
0
49
Qty AUM > $1 Billion
257
5
262
Qty AUM > $100 Million
775
39
814
% with AUM > $100 Million
52.4%
18.8%
48.3%
Monthly $ Volume ($ billion)
$1,600
$53.8
$1,654
% Change in Monthly $ Volume
+24.8%
+7.2%
+24.1%
Avg Daily $ Volume > $1 Billion
7
1
8
Avg Daily $ Volume > $100 Million
85
4
89
Avg Daily $ Volume > $10 Million
308
12
320
Actively Managed ETF Count (w/ change)
124
+1 mth
-1 ytd
Actively Managed AUM ($ billion)
$19.3
-1.0% mth
+11.9% ytd
Data sources: Daily prices and volume of individual ETPs from Norgate Premium Data. Fund counts and all other information compiled by Invest With An Edge.
New products launched in March (sorted by launch date):
Deutsche X-trackers Emerging Markets Bond – Interest Rate Hedged ETF (EMIH), launched 3/03/15, provides hedged exposure to a broad range of emerging-market debt from 29 different countries. The ETF will purchase US Dollar denominated emerging market bonds and then short US Treasury futures to hedge some of the interest rate risk. The estimated yield is 3.2%. EMIH has an expense ratio of 0.50% (EMIH overview).
Deutsche X-trackers High Yield Corporate Bond – Interest Rate Hedged ETF (HYIH), launched 3/03/15, will purchase high yield corporate bonds and then establish short positions in US Treasury futures to hedge some of the interest rate risk. The ETF is highly diversified with over 1,000 holdings and has an estimated yield of 4.4%. It sports a 0.45% expense ratio (HYIH overview).
Deutsche X-trackers Investment Grade Bond – Interest Rate Hedged ETF (IGIH), launched 3/03/15, will purchase investment-grade corporate bonds and hedge some of the interest rate risk by shorting US Treasury futures. IGIH has no shortage of holdings with over 1,200 positions and has an estimated yield of 1.1%. Investors will pay 0.25% annually to own this ETF (IGIH overview).
WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund (EUSC), launched 3/04/15, provides exposure to small-cap European equities while at the same time hedging against the impact of currency fluctuations between the US Dollar and the Euro. Holdings are weighted by annual cash dividends, and no position will have an allocation of more than 2%, no sector more than 25%, and no country more than 25%. The ETF’s expense ratio is 0.58% (EUSC overview).
iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR), launched 3/05/15, is an actively managed ETF seeking to maximize tax-free current income through exposure to short-term municipal bonds. The ETF will primarily hold investment grade bonds with remaining maturities of 5 years or less. No yield information is provided. MEAR’s expense ratio will be capped at 0.25% until 2/29/16 (MEAR overview).
Direxion Value Line Conservative Equity ETF (VLLV), launched 3/11/15, holds about 145, mostly large-cap stocks. Securities are selected using Value Line’s proprietary Safety Rank, which measures the total risk of a stock and its defensive capability during an overall equity market downturn. All companies are equally weighted and rebalanced annually. Health Care represents about 19% of the ETF and Consumer Staples about 17%. VLLV’s expense ratio will be capped at 0.58% until 9/1/16 (VLLV overview).
Direxion Value Line Mid- and Large-Cap High Dividend ETF (VLML), launched 3/11/15, is composed of 50 mid- and large-cap US companies that pay above average dividends. Stocks are selected using four proprietary ranking and rating criteria, are equally weighted, and are rebalanced annually. Materials is the largest sector represented at 17.0%, with Financials close behind at 15.7%. The ETF’s expense ratio will be capped at 0.58% until 9/1/16 (VLML overview).
Direxion Value Line Small- and Mid-Cap High Dividend ETF (VLSM), launched 3/11/15, is composed of 50 mid- and small-cap US companies that pay above-average dividends. Stocks are selected using four proprietary ranking and rating criteria, are equally weighted, and are rebalanced annually. Financials takes top-billing for sector allocation at nearly 44%. The ETF’s expense ratio will be capped at 0.58% until 9/1/16 (VLSM overview).
ETRACS ISE Exclusively Homebuilders ETN (HOMX), launched 3/11/15, is an exchange traded note designed to reflect the total return of companies engaged in the development and construction of homes and communities. The ETN aims to capture at least two-thirds of the homebuilders industry’s market capitalization. Dividends will be automatically reinvested. The ETN sports a 0.40% expense ratio (HOMX overview).
ETRACS Monthly Reset 2xLeveraged ISE Exclusively Homebuilders ETN (HOML), launched 3/11/15, is an exchange traded note that provides 2x (200%) leveraged exposure (reset monthly) to an index of companies engaged in the development and construction of homes and communities. HOML uses a total return approach, and dividends are automatically reinvested. Investors will pay 0.85% annually to own this security (HOML overview).
CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (AFTY), launched 3/12/15, will hold the 50 largest companies in the China A-Shares market. This ETF is designed to produce total return, so dividends will be reinvested, although any net income or realized capital gains may be paid out annually. Financial stocks make up the majority of the allocation at 68.5%. The ETF stops just short of crossing the 1% expense ratio threshold and lands at 0.99% (AFTY overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2017 Corporate ETF (IBDJ), launched 3/12/15, is the latest addition to the laddered bond series that iShares started in 2013. The next six introductions are also part of the chain, and they seek to rectify the problems of missing rungs we identified at the initial launch. IBDJ provides exposure to investment grade corporate bonds that mature in 2017. The ETF has an estimated yield of 1.2% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDJ overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2019 Corporate ETF (IBDK), launched 3/12/15, will provide exposure to investment grade corporate bonds maturing in 2019. The ETF has an estimated yield of 1.8% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDK overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2021 Corporate ETF (IBDM), launched 3/12/15, provides exposure to investment grade corporate bonds that mature in 2021. The ETF has an estimated yield of 2.5% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDM overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2022 Corporate ETF (IBDN), launched 3/12/15, will provide exposure to investment grade corporate bonds maturing in 2022. The ETF has an estimated yield of 2.7% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDN overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Corporate ETF (IBDO), launched 3/12/15, provides exposure to investment grade corporate bonds that mature in 2023. The ETF has an estimated yield of 2.9% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDO overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Corporate ETF (IBDP), launched 3/12/15, will provide exposure to investment grade corporate bonds maturing in 2024. The ETF has an estimated yield of 3.0% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDP overview).
iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Corporate ETF (IBDQ), launched 3/12/15, provides exposure to investment grade corporate bonds that mature in 2025. The ETF has an estimated yield of 3.1% and an expense ratio of 0.10% (IBDQ overview).
Global X SuperDividend Emerging Markets ETF (SDEM), launched 3/17/15, selects 50 companies that rank among the highest dividend paying securities in emerging markets and weights them equally. Countries with the most exposure include Brazil at 17.6%, China (16.2%), Russia (14.9%), and South Africa (14.4%). The ETF sports an expense ratio of 0.65% (SDEM overview).
Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF (SRET), launched 3/17/15, invests in 30 of the highest dividend paying REITs from around the world, although the US accounts for a 76.1% allocation. The other countries represented include Australia at 10.8%, Canada at 9.7%, and South Africa at 3.3%. SRET’s expense ratio is 0.58% (SRET overview).
iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT), launched 3/23/15, selects global companies believed to be leading innovation across 9 technology themes. Among the themes are big data & analytics, nanotechnology, robotics, and financial services. Information Technology leads the sector allocations at 32.3%, but Health Care follows not far behind at 28.7%. Telecommunications and Industrials also garner a more than 10% allocation. Investors will pay 0.47% annually to own this security (XT overview).
IQ Hedge Event-Driven Tracker ETF (QED), launched 3/24/15, is a fund-of-funds attempting to replicate the collective hedge funds pursuing an event-driven strategy. Event-driven strategies usually seek to combine credit opportunities and event-driven equities. Top holdings are SPDR Barclays Convertible Securities (CWB) at 41.8%, Vanguard Total Bond Market (BND) at 21.5%, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond (AGG) at 20.0%, and iShares Russell 1000 Growth (IWF) at 5.3%. QED has an expense ratio of 1.00% (QED overview).
IQ Hedge Long/Short Tracker ETF (QLS), launched 3/24/15, is a fund-of-funds designed to deliver performance similar to the universe of long/short hedge funds. Largest holdings include PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (BKLN) at 30.0%, iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond (LQD) at 13.0%, iShares Russell 2000 Growth (IWO) at 10.8%, and Vanguard Small-cap Growth (VBK) at 6.3%. The ETF’s expense ratio is 1.10% (QLS overview).
Lattice Global Small Cap Strategy ETF (ROGS), launched 3/24/15, invests in small-cap stocks across the US, developed, and emerging markets. It will track a risk-optimized index that seeks to identify companies with favorable combinations of diversified risk based on valuation, momentum, and quality characteristics to enhance returns and reduce overall volatility and drawdowns. ROGS sports a 0.60% expense ratio (ROGS overview).
Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ), launched 3/31/15, invests in small-cap gold companies, and to a lesser extent silver miners, that are listed on US and Canadian exchanges. The ETF will hold 30-40 junior gold mining stocks whose market caps fall between $250 million and $2 billion. Weighting will be determined by revenue growth and price momentum. Investors will pay 0.57% annually to own this fund (SGDJ overview).
Product closures/delistings in March:
SPDR Nuveen S&P VRDO Municipal Bond (VRD)
SPDR S&P Mortgage Finance (KME)
SPDR S&P Small Cap Emerging Asia Pacific (GMFS)
United States Metals (USMI)
Horizons S&P Financial Select Sector Covered Call (HFIN)
Previous monthly ETF statistics reports are available here.
This article is brought to you courtesy of Ron Rowland from Invest With an Edge.
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