Is State Street SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE) is a smart beta ETF that debuted on November 8, 2005, providing broad exposure to the Financials ETFs category [1] - KIE aims to match the performance of the S&P Insurance Select Industry Index, which represents the insurance segment of the S&P Total Market Index [5] Fund Overview - KIE is managed by State Street Investment Management and has accumulated assets exceeding $635.06 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in the Financials sector [5] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, making it one of the least expensive options in its category, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.56% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - KIE's portfolio is entirely allocated to the Financials sector, minimizing single stock risk through diversified exposure [7] - The top holding, Kinsale Capital Group Inc (KNSL), constitutes approximately 2.08% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 20.11% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, KIE has increased by approximately 6.55%, but it has decreased by about -2.35% over the last 12 months as of December 2, 2025 [10] - The fund has a beta of 0.75 and a standard deviation of 17.14% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the insurance space include Invesco KBW Property & Casualty Insurance ETF (KBWP) and iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK), with assets of $410.32 million and $508.98 million respectively [12] - KBWP and IAK have expense ratios of 0.35% and 0.38%, respectively, providing investors with additional options [12]