ETFs Poised to Gain From Black Friday's $11.8B Online E-Commerce Sales

Core Insights - Retail and e-commerce companies saw a significant increase in online spending during Black Friday, with U.S. consumers spending a record $11.8 billion, marking a 9.1% year-over-year growth [1][4] - The surge in online sales is expected to enhance the financial outlook for major e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Amazon, and eBay, as well as the ETFs that include these companies [2][6] E-commerce Performance - The record sales were driven by a shift towards digital platforms, with e-commerce growth outpacing in-store traffic, supported by aggressive discounting and the adoption of technologies like AI and BNPL services [3] - Adobe reported an 805% increase in AI traffic to U.S. retail sites compared to the previous Black Friday [3] - U.S. e-commerce sales exceeded Adobe's forecast of 8.3% growth, with Salesforce reporting a global online spending of $79 billion, up 6%, and U.S. sales of $18 billion, up 3% [4] Individual Platform Results - Shopify merchants achieved a record $6.2 billion in sales on Black Friday, reflecting a 25% year-over-year increase [5] - Amazon's marketplace and fulfillment services likely allowed it to capture a significant share of online spending [5] ETFs and Investment Opportunities - Investing in ETFs provides a diversified approach to capitalize on the e-commerce trend, reducing volatility and risk associated with individual stocks [7] - The strong Black Friday performance indicates robust consumer demand for digital retail, positioning specific ETFs for growth [8] ETF Highlights - Global X E-commerce ETF (EBIZ): Net assets of $53.1 million, exposure to 41 companies, top holdings include Shopify (5.26%) and Alibaba (5.16%), gained 2.8% leading up to Black Friday, up 18.1% year to date [9] - ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN): NAV of $60.09 per share, exposure to 19 companies, top holdings include Amazon (23.05%), Alibaba (11.92%), and eBay (8.05%), gained 3.4% leading up to Black Friday, up 34.7% year to date [11] - VanEck Retail ETF (RTH): Assets worth $256 million, exposure to 26 major retailers, top holdings include Amazon (19.62%), Walmart (10.37%), and Costco (7.35%), gained 3.7% leading up to Black Friday, up 12.9% year to date [12]