Smart beta ETFs

Guggenheim Investments, the eighth-largest U.S. issuer of exchange-traded funds and one of the largest issuers of smart or strategic beta ETFs, is adding to its lineup of alternatively-weighted offerings Tuesday with the debut of the Guggenheim Large Cap Optimized Diversification ETF (NYSE: OPD)....

One of the earliest and most frequent criticism of alternatively-weighted exchange-traded funds is that when these funds outperform, it is often due to the value or small stocks factors or both. That is a charge frequently aimed at the PowerShares FTSE RAFI US 1000 (ETF) (NYSE: PRF), one of the...

The cover story in this weekend's Barron's makes a case for rebound in value stocks as growth stocks take a siesta. Barron's offers 16 ways – from stocks to mutual funds – to play such a value rebound. Other featured articles include a special report on strategic beta ETFs. Growth...

Smart or strategic beta exchange-traded funds come with different methodologies. Some focus on a single factor, while others offer investors exposure to multiple factors. Then there are those funds that select holdings based on factors such as a company's ability to generate cash, pay and raise...

The term “smart beta,” as it pertains to exchange-traded funds, has been derided by critics, but the success of some of the funds occupying this corner of the ETF landscape is undeniable. According to FTSE Russell’s first U.S. retail financial advisor market survey – Smart...

The Utilities SPDR (ETF) (NYSE: XLU) is the only one of the sector SPDR exchange-traded funds higher on a year-to-date basis, but the Consumer Staples Select Sect. SPDR (ETF) (NYSE: XLP) is not far behind with a barely noticeable 2016. The last couple of days of market action aside, leadership from...

ETF.com's "Inside ETFs" conference took place in Florida last week and, perhaps not surprisingly, smart beta exchange-traded funds were popular topics of discussion. That stands to reason as various surveys and studies out last indicated professional investors are likely to continue boosting...

On a global basis, exchange-traded products added a whopping $347 billion in new assets last year. Said another way, the amount of money that flowed into ETFs last year exceeds the current market value of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), the largest U.S. oil company. While it is still early in...

In quite possibly unsurprising news for those following the exponential growth of the exchange-traded funds industry, BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) says institutional investors are increasing their use ETFs. BlackRock, the parent company of iShares, the world's largest ETF issuer, confirmed the...

Advisors and investors are hearing plenty about the growth of smart or strategic beta exchange-traded funds. New data confirm these ETFs, which toe the line between active and passive management, are growing at a blistering pace. According to FTSE Russell’s first U.S. retail financial advisor...

Smart or strategic beta exchange-traded funds have enjoyed another banner of asset-gathering proficiency. By some estimates, roughly $2 of every $3 that flowed into U.S.-listed ETFs this year have gone into a strategic beta fund, and those inflows are being led by currency hedged funds. But, as is...