Is State Street SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE) is a smart beta ETF launched on November 8, 2005, providing broad exposure to the Financials sector [1] - KBE aims to match the performance of the S&P Banks Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal-weighted index reflecting publicly traded banks and thrifts [5][6] Fund Management and Size - Managed by State Street Investment Management, KBE has accumulated over $1.38 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Financials category [5] - The fund has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, positioning it as one of the least expensive options in the market [7] Performance Metrics - As of November 6, 2025, KBE has gained approximately 5.04% year-to-date and 7.19% over the past year, with a trading range between $45.85 and $62.76 in the last 52 weeks [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.02 and a standard deviation of 28.16% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile [11] Sector Exposure and Holdings - KBE is fully allocated to the Financials sector, with its top 10 holdings representing about 11.19% of total assets [8][9] - Comerica Inc (CMA) is the largest individual holding at approximately 1.22% of total assets [9] Alternatives in the Market - Other ETFs in the Financials space include the First Trust NASDAQ Bank ETF (FTXO) and the Invesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB), with assets of $240.53 million and $5.69 billion respectively [12] - FTXO has an expense ratio of 0.60%, while KBWB matches KBE's expense ratio of 0.35% [12]