Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of free cash flow (FCF) as a measure of a company's ability to generate actual cash available for distribution to shareholders or reinvestment, rather than just accounting profits [1][21] - The market has shifted towards a "value" style since 2022, with a focus on dividends and cash flow, supported by regulatory policies aimed at enhancing the quality and sustainability of corporate earnings and cash flows [21] Free Cash Flow Indices Overview - The CSI All Share Free Cash Flow Index focuses on large, medium, and small-cap stocks, selecting 100 constituents with positive free cash flow and enterprise value, primarily in coal, oil, petrochemicals, and transportation sectors, highlighting defensive attributes [3] - The CSI 300 Cash Flow Index is limited to constituents of the CSI 300, selecting 50 large-cap blue-chip stocks with positive operating cash flow for five consecutive years, concentrated in traditional high-dividend sectors like oil and petrochemicals, suitable for low-volatility investors [4] - The CSI 800 Free Cash Flow Index selects 50 large and medium-cap stocks from the CSI 300 and CSI 500, with over 40% in the energy sector, indicating significant exposure to commodity cycle fluctuations, suitable for tactical strategies [5] - The FTSE China A-Share Free Cash Flow Index includes Hong Kong Stock Connect eligible stocks (approximately 30% from Hong Kong), selecting 50 large and medium-cap stocks, with a high proportion of central and state-owned enterprises, offering cross-border allocation and hedging attributes, but with liquidity risks in Hong Kong stocks [6] - The National Index Free Cash Flow covers a broader range, selecting 100 non-financial and non-real estate stocks from the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing exchanges, with diversified industries including oil, petrochemicals, automotive, and home appliances, demonstrating both offensive and defensive characteristics [7] Sample Selection Criteria - The selection criteria for these indices include positive free cash flow and enterprise value, exclusion of financial and real estate sectors, and a focus on companies with consistent positive operating cash flow over multiple years [11][17] - The indices are weighted by free cash flow, with individual stock weight limits set at 10%, and are adjusted quarterly [14][17]

Group 1 - The first batch of free cash flow strategy funds was announced in February, with 26 funds established so far, raising a total of over 15 billion yuan [1] - The established funds are passive index funds tracking various free cash flow indices, with 12 funds tracking the CSI All Share Free Cash Flow Index [1][3] - The market is seeing an expansion of free cash flow strategy funds, with new products being launched and applications submitted for additional funds [2] Group 2 - Analysts believe that free cash flow is well-suited to the current macroeconomic environment, as companies with ample free cash flow are expected to see stronger valuation increases [2] - Free cash flow indices have shown strong long-term performance, with lower volatility compared to dividend indices, and are concentrated in sectors like energy and consumer goods [3][4] - The National Free Cash Flow Index has outperformed other indices, while the CSI 300 Free Cash Flow Index is noted for its low volatility and stable performance [4]

Group 1 - The article discusses the upcoming issuance of a series of ETFs focused on free cash flow, tracking indices such as the China Securities Cash Flow Index, the CSI 300 Cash Flow Index, the CSI 800 Cash Flow Index, and the National Securities Cash Flow Index [2] - The China Securities All Index Free Cash Flow Index selects 100 listed companies with high free cash flow rates to reflect the overall performance of companies with strong cash flow generation capabilities [2] - The CSI 300 Free Cash Flow Index selects 50 companies from the CSI 300 Index that have high free cash flow rates, aiming to represent the performance of companies with strong cash flow generation within the CSI 300 sample [3] Group 2 - The CSI 800 Free Cash Flow Index selects 50 companies from the CSI 800 Index with high free cash flow rates, reflecting the performance of companies with strong cash flow generation within the CSI 800 sample [4] - The National Securities Free Cash Flow Index is designed to reflect the price changes of listed companies with high and stable free cash flow levels on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, enriching index investment tools [5] Group 3 - The base date for the three China Securities cash flow indices is December 31, 2013, with a base point of 1000, and they have been running for 11.3 years [6] - The current values and annualized returns for the indices are as follows: - All Index Cash Flow Price Index at 4419.86 points, annualized return of 14.05% - CSI 300 Cash Flow Price Index at 2911.58 points, annualized return of 9.92% - CSI 800 Cash Flow Price Index at 4294.83 points, annualized return of 13.76% - National Securities Cash Flow Index at 4683.24 points, annualized return of 12.48% [7] - The historical returns of the cash flow indices are impressive, with annualized returns around 18% for all but the CSI 300 Cash Flow Index, which may be due to a limited sample size after excluding the financial and real estate sectors [7] Group 4 - The article notes that the newly issued indices may exhibit historical fitting, which is unavoidable, and emphasizes that evaluating an index should prioritize its compilation rules, component structure, and inherent stability over historical returns [8]