Is Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF (GSSC) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF (GSSC) is a smart beta ETF launched on June 28, 2017, providing broad exposure to the small-cap blend market segment [1] Fund Overview - GSSC has accumulated over $692.57 million in assets, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in the small-cap blend space [5] - The fund is managed by Goldman Sachs Funds and aims to match the performance of the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Small Cap Equity Index, which focuses on small-cap U.S. equity securities [5] Cost Structure - GSSC has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.20%, which is competitive within its peer group [6] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.45% [6] Sector Allocation - The fund's largest sector allocation is in Financials, comprising approximately 19.2% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Healthcare [7] - The top 10 holdings account for about 3.52% of GSSC's total assets, with Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (CRDO) being the largest individual holding at 0.47% [8] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, GSSC has gained approximately 8.45%, and it is up about 8.95% over the last 12 months as of October 31, 2025 [10] - The fund has a beta of 1.06 and a standard deviation of 20.67% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a diversified risk profile with around 1348 holdings [10] Alternatives - While GSSC is a viable option for investors looking to outperform the small-cap blend segment, alternatives such as the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) are also available [11][12] - IWM has $68.35 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.19%, while IJR has $84.92 billion in assets with a lower expense ratio of 0.06% [12]