Launched on 11/21/2007, the First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend ETF (FGD) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicat ...

Core Insights - The First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX ETF (FXU) provides broad exposure to the Utilities/Infrastructure ETFs category, having debuted on 05/08/2007 [1] - FXU is managed by First Trust Advisors and has accumulated over $1.73 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the StrataQuant Utilities Index, which uses a modified equal-dollar weighted methodology to select stocks [6] Fund Characteristics - FXU has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.63% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.08% [7] - The fund has a heavy allocation to the Utilities sector, representing 97.6% of its portfolio [8] - The top three holdings include Edison International (4.23%), Evergy, Inc., and Pg&e Corporation, with the top 10 holdings accounting for 40.08% of total assets [9] Performance Metrics - As of 08/21/2025, FXU has increased by approximately 19.58% year-to-date and 28.29% over the past year [11] - The ETF has a beta of 0.63 and a standard deviation of 17.29% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] - FXU has 41 holdings, providing more concentrated exposure compared to its peers [11] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Utilities/Infrastructure segment include Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU), with VPU having $7.42 billion and XLU $21.55 billion in assets [13] - VPU has a lower expense ratio of 0.09% compared to FXU, while XLU has an expense ratio of 0.08% [13]

Core Insights - The Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Pure Growth ETF (RFG) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Mid Cap Growth category, launched on March 1, 2006 [1] - RFG aims to match the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Pure Growth Index, which focuses on securities with strong growth characteristics [5] Investment Strategy - Smart beta ETFs, like RFG, utilize non-cap weighted strategies to potentially outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes [3] - Various methodologies exist within smart beta, including equal-weighting and fundamental weighting, though not all guarantee superior results [4] Fund Details - RFG is managed by Invesco and has assets totaling approximately $292.57 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in its segment [5] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.44% [6] Sector Exposure - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Industrials sector, comprising about 30.6% of the portfolio, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Healthcare [7] - The top 10 holdings represent approximately 21.11% of total assets, with Carpenter Technology Corp (CRS) being the largest at 2.9% [8] Performance Metrics - As of August 21, 2025, RFG has returned approximately 2.55% year-to-date and 4.19% over the past year, with a trading range between $39.08 and $53.39 in the last 52 weeks [10] - The fund has a beta of 1.08 and a standard deviation of 21.65% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Mid Cap Growth space include Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (VOT) and iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF (IWP), with VOT having $17.38 billion in assets and IWP $19.96 billion [12] - VOT has a lower expense ratio of 0.07%, while IWP's is 0.23%, making them potentially more attractive options for cost-conscious investors [12]

Core Insights - The WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity ETF (HEDJ) debuted on January 4, 2010, and provides broad exposure to the European Equity ETFs market [1] - HEDJ is designed to neutralize exposure to fluctuations between the Euro and the U.S. dollar while tracking the WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index [5] Fund Overview - HEDJ is managed by WisdomTree and has accumulated over $1.81 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the European Equity category [5] - The fund has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.58% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.26% [6] Performance Metrics - As of August 19, 2025, HEDJ has gained approximately 16.55% year-to-date and 17.13% over the past year, with a trading range between $41.90 and $50.31 in the last 52 weeks [9] - The fund has a beta of 0.79 and a standard deviation of 16.06% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The fund's top 10 holdings account for about 134.89% of its total assets under management, with the U.S. dollar representing approximately 88.27% of total assets [7][8] - HEDJ offers diversified exposure, effectively minimizing single stock risk with around 135 holdings [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the European Equity space include iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (EZU) with $7.99 billion in assets and Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) with $26.93 billion [12] - EZU has an expense ratio of 0.51% while VGK charges 0.06%, presenting lower-cost options for investors [12]

Group 1: Core Insights - The iShares International Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (ISCF) debuted on April 28, 2015, providing broad exposure to the Foreign Small/Mid Blend ETF category [1] - The fund is managed by Blackrock and has accumulated over $441.4 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the MSCI World exUSA Small Cap Diversified Multiple-Factor Index [5] Group 2: Fund Characteristics - The annual operating expenses for ISCF are 0.23%, making it one of the cheaper options in the market [7] - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.94% [7] - The top 10 holdings account for approximately 5.56% of total assets under management, with Banco De Sabadell Sa being the largest holding at 0.83% [8][9] Group 3: Performance Metrics - As of August 19, 2025, ISCF has gained about 26.71% year-to-date and approximately 25.28% over the last year [10] - The fund has traded between $30.25 and $40.15 during the past 52 weeks [10] - ISCF has a beta of 0.82 and a standard deviation of 16.30% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [11] Group 4: Alternatives and Market Context - ISCF is a viable option for investors looking to outperform the Foreign Small/Mid Blend ETF segment, but there are alternative ETFs available [12] - Other ETFs in the space include SPDR S&P International Small Cap ETF (GWX) with $758.52 million in assets and Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC) with $4.75 billion [13] - GWX has an expense ratio of 0.40%, while SCHC has a lower expense ratio of 0.08% [13]

Core Insights - The Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) debuted on June 7, 2017, and provides broad exposure to the emerging markets category of ETFs [1] - NUEM aims to match the performance of the TIAA ESG Emerging Markets Equity Index using a rules-based methodology focused on ESG criteria [6][5] Fund Overview - NUEM has accumulated assets of over $316.8 million, positioning it as an average-sized ETF within the Broad Emerging Market ETFs category [5] - The ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.36% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.65% [7] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The top holding, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, constitutes approximately 11.62% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 28.58% of total assets [8][9] - The ETF holds around 187 securities, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [11] Performance Metrics - As of August 19, 2025, NUEM has gained roughly 18.26% year-to-date and 19.07% over the past year, with a trading range between $25.97 and $34.65 during the last 52 weeks [10] - The ETF has a beta of 0.59 and a standard deviation of 19.35% for the trailing three-year period [11] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the ESG space include Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU), with assets of $11.1 billion and $14.25 billion respectively [13] - Investors may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs for potentially lower-cost and lower-risk options [13]

Core Insights - The Invesco Large Cap Value ETF (PWV) offers investors exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category, having debuted on March 3, 2005 [1] - Smart beta ETFs, like PWV, aim to outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes by focusing on specific fundamental characteristics [3][4] - The fund is sponsored by Invesco and has assets exceeding $1.15 billion, targeting performance matching with the Dynamic Large Cap Value Intellidex Index [5] Fund Details - PWV has annual operating expenses of 0.53% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.29% [6] - The ETF's largest sector allocation is in Financials at 31.2%, followed by Energy and Healthcare [7] - Top holdings include Goldman Sachs Group Inc (3.72%), Wells Fargo & Co, and Jpmorgan Chase & Co, with the top 10 holdings comprising 35.12% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - The ETF has a return of approximately 12.36% and has increased by about 12.92% year-to-date as of August 19, 2025 [10] - PWV has traded between $52.26 and $63.23 over the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.80 and a standard deviation of 14.50% for the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard Value ETF (VTV), with SCHD having $70.84 billion in assets and VTV at $141.7 billion [12] - SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV at 0.04%, presenting lower-cost options for investors [12]

Core Insights - The iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (SMLF) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend category and was launched on April 28, 2015 [1] - The fund is managed by Blackrock and has accumulated over $2.01 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Small Cap Diversified Multiple-Factor Index before fees and expenses [5] Fund Characteristics - SMLF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.15%, making it one of the cheaper options in the smart beta ETF space [6] - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.32% [6] - The ETF has a beta of 1.07 and a standard deviation of 20.90% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile [10] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has the largest allocation in the Industrials sector at approximately 18.9%, followed by Financials and Consumer Discretionary [7] - Emcor Group Inc (EME) accounts for about 1.04% of the fund's total assets, with Carvana Class A (CVNA) and Jabil Inc (JBL) also among the top holdings [8] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, SMLF has returned approximately 5.84%, and it is up about 13.29% over the last 12 months as of August 19, 2025 [9] - The fund has traded between $54.28 and $74.15 in the past 52 weeks [9] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the small-cap space include Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR), which have larger asset bases of $64.84 billion and $82.91 billion respectively [12] - VB has a lower expense ratio of 0.05%, while IJR has an expense ratio of 0.06% [12]

Core Insights - The FlexShares High Yield Value-Scored Bond ETF (HYGV) debuted on July 17, 2018, and provides broad exposure to the High-Yield/Junk Bond ETFs category [1] Fund Overview - The fund is sponsored by Flexshares and has accumulated over $1.24 billion in assets, positioning it as one of the larger ETFs in the High-Yield/Junk Bond sector [5] - HYGV aims to match the performance of the NORTHERN TRUST HY VLU-SCRD US CORP BD ID, which measures high yield, US-dollar denominated bonds with favorable fundamental qualities [6] Cost and Performance - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.37% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 7.72% [7] - Year-to-date, HYGV has increased by approximately 4.67% and is up about 7.38% over the last 12 months as of August 18, 2025 [10] - The fund has a beta of 0.42 and a standard deviation of 7.55% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification of company-specific risk with around 1010 holdings [11] Sector Exposure and Holdings - Cash accounts for about 1.25% of the fund's total assets, with top holdings including Carvana Co Sr Sec Pik 31 and Qxo Building Products Inc Callable Bond Fixed [8] - The top 10 holdings represent approximately 8.48% of HYGV's total assets under management [9] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the High-Yield/Junk Bond space include iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) with $18.21 billion in assets and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) with $25.02 billion [13] - HYG has an expense ratio of 0.49% while USHY charges 0.08% [13]

Core Viewpoint - The Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSML) aims to provide investors with broad exposure to the small-cap growth segment of the market, utilizing a smart beta strategy to potentially outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes [1][5]. Fund Overview - JSML was launched on February 23, 2016, and has accumulated over $206.62 million in assets, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF within its segment [1][5]. - The fund is managed by Janus Henderson and seeks to match the performance of the Janus Small Cap Growth Alpha Index, which selects small-cap stocks based on growth, profitability, and capital efficiency [5][6]. Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for JSML are 0.30%, which is competitive with similar products in the market [7]. - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.63% [7]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - JSML has a significant allocation in the Industrials sector, comprising approximately 21.8% of the portfolio, followed by Information Technology and Financials [8]. - The top holding, Sterling Infrastructure Inc. (STRL), represents about 2.23% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 18.94% of total assets under management [9]. Performance Metrics - As of August 18, 2025, JSML has increased by roughly 8.34% year-to-date and 15.71% over the past year [11]. - The ETF has traded between $54.00 and $73.60 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.24 and a standard deviation of 23.03% over the trailing three-year period [11]. Alternatives - Investors may consider other ETFs in the small-cap growth space, such as iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK), which have larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [12][13].