A smart beta exchange traded fund, the State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) debuted on 09/28/2011, and offers broad exposure to the Industrials ETFs category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market retur ...

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) debuted on January 26, 2011, providing broad exposure to the Communication Services ETFs category [1] - XTL is managed by State Street Investment Management and has accumulated over $202.69 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the S&P Telecom Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal weight index [6] Fund Characteristics - XTL has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, which is competitive within its peer group [7] - The ETF's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.12% [7] - The fund's top holdings include Ast Spacemobile Inc (7.32% of total assets), Ondas Holdings Inc, and Ciena Corp, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 42.55% of total assets [9] Performance Metrics - As of November 11, 2025, XTL has returned approximately 38.23% year-to-date and 37.48% over the past year [10] - The ETF has traded between $86.93 and $155.49 in the past 52 weeks [10] - XTL has a beta of 1.13 and a standard deviation of 23.08% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives and Comparisons - Other ETFs in the Communication Services space include Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX) with $5.69 billion in assets and Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLC) with $25.84 billion [12] - VOX has a lower expense ratio of 0.09%, while XLC charges 0.08% [12] - Investors seeking lower-cost options may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Communication Services ETFs [13]

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is a smart beta ETF launched on June 19, 2006, designed to provide broad exposure to the Consumer Discretionary sector [1] - XRT has accumulated over $284.35 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund seeks to match the performance of the S&P Retail Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal weight index representing the retail sub-industry of the S&P Total Market Index [6] Fund Characteristics - XRT has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [7] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.33% [7] - The portfolio is heavily allocated to the Consumer Discretionary sector, comprising approximately 78.7% of total assets [8] Holdings and Performance - Etsy Inc (ETSY) is the largest holding, accounting for about 1.77% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing around 16.11% of total assets under management [9] - As of November 7, 2025, XRT has experienced a year-to-date loss of approximately -0.37% and a one-year increase of about 1.3% [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.24 and a standard deviation of 23.78% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Alternatives - Alternatives to XRT include the Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY) and the VanEck Retail ETF (RTH), with respective assets of $147.61 million and $253.07 million [13] - IBUY has an expense ratio of 0.65%, while RTH has an expense ratio of 0.35% [13]

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]

Core Insights - The ProShares S&P Technology Dividend Aristocrats ETF (TDV) debuted on November 5, 2019, and offers broad exposure to the Technology ETFs category [1] - TDV is a smart beta ETF that aims to match the performance of the S&P Technology Dividend Aristocrats Index, focusing on companies in the technology sector [5] Fund Overview - TDV has accumulated over $265.55 million in assets, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF within the Technology ETFs [5] - The ETF has an annual operating expense of 0.45% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.99% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - Approximately 80.6% of TDV's portfolio is allocated to the Information Technology sector, with Industrials and Financials following [7] - The top three holdings include Lam Research Corp (3.62% of total assets), Monolithic Power Systems Inc, and Oracle Corp, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 29.24% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - As of November 4, 2025, TDV has gained about 17.35% year-to-date and approximately 17.6% over the past year [10] - The ETF has traded between $62.35 and $89.95 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.10 and a standard deviation of 19.65% over the trailing three-year period [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the market include iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG), with DGRO having $34.32 billion in assets and VIG at $97.88 billion [12] - DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% while VIG charges 0.05% [12]

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]

Core Insights - The Counterpoint High Yield Trend ETF (HYTR) launched on January 21, 2020, offers broad exposure to the High-Yield/Junk Bond ETFs category, with a focus on smart beta strategies [1] Fund Overview - Managed by Counterpoint, HYTR has accumulated over $202.48 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The fund aims to replicate the performance of the CP HIGH YIELD TREND INDEX, which targets the US high yield corporate bond market while mitigating risks during market volatility [5] Cost Structure - HYTR has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.79%, making it one of the more expensive options in the high-yield ETF space [6] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 5.58% [6] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The ETF's top holding, Ishares Broad Us (USHY), constitutes approximately 39.64% of total assets, followed by Ishares Iboxx Hi (HYG) and Spdr Bloomberg H (JNK) [7] - The top 10 holdings account for about 100.01% of total assets under management, indicating a concentrated investment strategy [8] Performance Metrics - As of October 29, 2025, HYTR has gained approximately 5.12% year-to-date and 5.51% over the past year, with trading values ranging between $20.95 and $22.18 during the last 52 weeks [9] - The fund has a beta of 0.25 and a standard deviation of 6.05% over the trailing three-year period, reflecting its lower volatility compared to peers [10] Alternatives in the Market - Other ETFs in the high-yield space include iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY), with assets of $19.05 billion and $26.13 billion respectively [12] - HYG has an expense ratio of 0.49%, while USHY charges 0.08%, presenting potentially lower-cost alternatives for investors [12]

Core Insights - The SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) debuted on January 31, 2006, and provides broad exposure to the Industrials ETFs category [1] - XHB is managed by State Street Investment Management and has accumulated over $1.71 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Industrials sector [5] - The fund seeks to match the performance of the S&P Homebuilders Select Industry Index, which represents the homebuilding sub-industry of the S&P Total Markets Index [6] Fund Characteristics - XHB has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, positioning it as one of the least expensive options in its category [7] - The fund's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 0.74% [7] - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Consumer Discretionary sector, approximately 67% of the portfolio, with Industrials and Energy following [8] Holdings and Performance - Allegion Plc (ALLE) constitutes about 3.73% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings making up approximately 35.44% of XHB's total assets [9] - As of October 27, 2025, XHB has gained about 4.73% year-to-date but is down approximately 7.23% over the past year [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.29 and a standard deviation of 26.07% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile [11] Alternatives - For investors seeking to outperform the Industrials ETFs segment, alternatives such as the Invesco Building & Construction ETF (PKB) are available, which tracks the Dynamic Building & Construction Intellidex Index and has $307.49 million in assets [12] - PKB has a higher expense ratio of 0.57% compared to XHB [12] - Traditional market cap weighted ETFs may offer cheaper and lower-risk options for matching returns in the Industrials ETFs space [13]

Group 1: ETF Overview - The First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF (FICS) debuted on December 15, 2020, and is categorized as a smart beta ETF providing broad exposure to the Foreign Large Growth ETF segment [1] - FICS is managed by First Trust Advisors and has accumulated over $210.33 million in assets, positioning it as one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the International Developed Capital Strength Index, which focuses on well-capitalized companies in developed markets outside the U.S. [6] Group 2: Cost and Performance - FICS has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.70%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.38% [7] - Year-to-date, FICS has returned approximately 12.69%, with a 12-month return of about 2.06% as of September 29, 2025 [10] - The fund has a beta of 0.76 and a standard deviation of 14.15% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification of company-specific risk with around 57 holdings [11] Group 3: Holdings and Sector Exposure - FICS's top holdings include Gea Group Ag (2.39% of total assets), Royal Bank Of Canada, and Astrazeneca Plc, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 22.65% of total assets [8][9] - The ETF offers diversified exposure, minimizing single stock risk, and is transparent about its holdings, which are disclosed daily [8] Group 4: Alternatives and Market Position - FICS may not be suitable for investors seeking to outperform the Foreign Large Growth ETF segment, with alternatives such as Invesco Dorsey Wright Developed Markets Momentum ETF and Invesco S&P International Developed Quality ETF available [12][13] - Investors looking for lower-cost options may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Foreign Large Growth ETF [14]

Core Viewpoint - The SPDR Russell 1000 Yield Focus ETF (ONEY) is a smart beta ETF designed to provide broad exposure to the large-cap value segment of the market, with a focus on high yield characteristics [1][5][6]. Fund Overview - Launched on December 2, 2015, ONEY has accumulated over $897.86 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [1][5]. - Managed by State Street Investment Management, the fund aims to match the performance of the Russell 1000 Yield Focused Factor Index [5]. Cost and Performance - ONEY has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.20%, making it one of the cheaper options in the market [7]. - The fund's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 3.01% [7]. - As of September 12, 2025, ONEY has gained approximately 7.75% year-to-date and 9.85% over the past year, with a trading range between $95.52 and $117.55 during the last 52 weeks [11]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - The fund has a significant allocation in the Consumer Staples sector, accounting for about 13.5% of the portfolio, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Industrials [8]. - United Parcel Service Cl B (UPS) represents about 2.1% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings comprising approximately 13.74% of total assets under management [9]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the large-cap value space include Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard Value ETF (VTV), which have larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [12][13].