Should Inspire 500 ETF (PTL) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Core Viewpoint - The Inspire 500 ETF (PTL) launched on March 25, 2024, aims to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, with assets exceeding $418.91 million, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in this category [1]. Group 1: Fund Overview - The ETF is passively managed and sponsored by Inspire, focusing on large cap companies with market capitalizations above $10 billion, which are generally stable and less volatile [2]. - The fund has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.09%, making it one of the least expensive options in the market, and it offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.27% [3]. Group 2: Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation of approximately 27.2% to the Information Technology sector, followed by Industrials and Financials [4]. - Broadcom Inc (AVGO) is the largest holding at about 8.33% of total assets, with Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) also among the top holdings. The top 10 holdings represent about 28.44% of total assets under management [5]. Group 3: Performance Metrics - The ETF aims to match the performance of the INSPIRE 500 INDEX, which includes the 500 largest US companies with Inspire Impact Scores of zero or higher. As of August 1, 2025, the ETF has gained approximately 11.72% year-to-date and 16.77% over the past year, with a trading range of $181.36 to $239.76 in the last 52 weeks [6]. - The ETF has a beta of 1.04 and a standard deviation of 18.63% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification with around 449 holdings [7]. Group 4: Alternatives and Market Position - The Inspire 500 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a reasonable option for investors seeking exposure to the Large Cap Blend market segment. Other alternatives include the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), which have significantly larger asset bases of $654.85 billion and $699.18 billion, respectively [8][9]. Group 5: Market Trends - There is a growing trend among retail and institutional investors towards passively managed ETFs due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making them suitable for long-term investment strategies [10].