Research shows that buffer funds perform comparably to balanced funds, yielding bigger returns for slightly more risk, but the fees can be prohibitive. ...

Group 1: Company Actions - Goldman Sachs Asset Management is acquiring Innovator Capital Management for $2 billion, focusing on defined outcome exchange-traded funds (ETFs) [1] - The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of next year, indicating a strategic move to enhance their product offerings in the ETF market [1] Group 2: Industry Insights - Defined outcome ETFs, also known as buffer ETFs, are gaining traction as they provide downside protection and income for investors, addressing specific market needs [2] - Bryon Lake, co-head of the Third-Party Wealth team at Goldman Sachs, emphasizes the growth potential of defined outcome ETFs, describing them as a fast and attractive space [2] - Kathmere Capital Management, managing $3.4 billion in assets, highlights the role of defined outcome ETFs in client portfolios to reduce downside risk, indicating a growing demand for these products [3] - The appeal of defined outcome ETFs lies in their ability to offer stock market exposure with built-in safety nets, making them suitable for risk-managed equity solutions [4]

Core Insights - Goldman Sachs announced plans to acquire Innovator Capital Management for $2 billion, positioning itself as the second-largest player in the defined-outcome ETF market [2][5] - The acquisition reflects a trend of consolidation in the ETF industry as competition intensifies, with many new product providers entering the market [3][4] Company Summary - The acquisition will elevate Goldman Sachs from an early-stage defined-outcome issuer to a significant player, gaining Innovator's 150 defined-outcome products and $28 billion in assets [5] - Currently, Goldman has three buffer ETFs with approximately $36 million in assets under management, indicating a need to align its offerings with market demand [4] Industry Summary - The ETF market is expected to see increased consolidation and M&A activity as firms seek scale and unique product offerings to meet growing investor demand for defined-outcome ETFs [3][4] - The trend is driven by wealth managers looking to provide niche strategies, with a particular focus on defined outcome and buffered ETFs [4]

Market Update - The stock market started December slightly lower after a strong Thanksgiving week, with the S&P 500 rallying almost 4%, marking its seventh consecutive month of gains [1] - The Nasdaq increased over 4% last week but fell 1.5% in November, ending its seven-month winning streak [1] Eli Lilly Price Cuts - Eli Lilly announced a price reduction for its obesity medication Zepbound, with the starting dose now priced at $299 per month, down from $349, and the 5 mg dose at $399, down from $499 [1] - Analysts at Leerink noted that the price cuts may have come earlier than expected but are not a major surprise, emphasizing the potential for expanded patient access to Lilly's drugs [1] - The price reductions are part of a broader trend in the GLP-1 market, with Novo Nordisk also cutting prices to regain market share [1] - The expectation is that lost revenue from price cuts will be compensated by increased volume, supporting Eli Lilly's earnings-per-share growth in the coming years [1] Goldman Sachs Acquisition - Goldman Sachs announced plans to acquire Innovator Capital Management for $2 billion, a pioneer in defined outcome exchange-traded funds (ETFs) [1] - Innovator has created the first defined outcome ETF and has $28 billion in assets under supervision as of September 30 [1] - The acquisition aims to significantly expand Goldman Sachs Asset Management's ETF lineup and enhance offerings in a rapidly growing active ETF category [1] - This acquisition follows a previous deal with T. Rowe Price to create private market products for investors, indicating a strategic push in Goldman's asset and wealth management division [1] Upcoming Earnings Reports - MongoDB is set to report earnings after the market closes on Monday, while United Natural Foods and Signet Jewelers will release results before Tuesday's opening bell [1]

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is acquiring Innovator Capital Management for $2 billion, aiming to enhance its position in the defined-outcome ETF market, which has gained popularity among financial advisers and investors seeking to mitigate downside risk while capping upside potential [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition will combine Goldman Sachs with Innovator, which manages over $28 billion across more than 150 ETFs, specializing in defined-outcome ETFs [1][2]. - The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals [7]. Group 2: Market Context - Defined-outcome ETFs, also known as "buffer funds," have seen increased interest as investors look for safer alternatives amid market volatility, with approximately $11.4 billion invested in structured outcome products this year, including $4.1 billion in Innovator's offerings [4]. - The structured outcome ETF category has grown from under $60 billion at the end of 2024 to roughly $76 billion currently [5]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - Following the acquisition, Goldman Sachs Asset Management's assets under management in ETFs will increase from $51 billion to $79 billion, positioning the firm among the top 10 largest active issuers [6]. - Innovator's team of over 60 employees will join Goldman's wealth and ETF teams, enhancing the firm's capabilities in this growing market [7].

Core Insights - Defined outcome ETFs are projected to grow fivefold to $334 billion in AUM by 2030 from $69 billion today, driven by increasing demand from baby boomer clients and faster home-office approvals by broker/dealers [1][2] Group 1: Market Growth Potential - Cerulli estimates an annual growth rate of 29% to 35% for defined outcome ETFs over the next five years, which is at least double the projected growth in the broader ETF market [2] - The growth is attributed to the increasing interest from advisors and their clients, particularly as baby boomers approach retirement [2][4] Group 2: Investor Preferences - Defined outcome ETFs provide downside risk protection, typically covering the first 10% to 15% of losses, making them attractive to investors nearing retirement [3] - A survey indicated that as investors age, they prioritize downside protection over market outperformance, with 61% of investors aged 50-59 and 83% of those aged 70 and above expressing this preference [4] Group 3: Advisor Considerations - Advisors appreciate the liquidity and tax efficiency of defined outcome ETFs compared to structured notes and variable annuities [5] - The use of packaged investment products like model portfolios may enhance advisors' reliance on defined outcome ETFs, allowing for customization based on clients' risk tolerance and investment horizons [5][6] Group 4: Adoption Challenges - Despite increasing inquiries from pre-retirement investors, broker/dealers and wirehouses have not widely adopted defined outcome ETFs due to their complexity compared to traditional equity ETFs [7] - The variability of outcomes based on investment timing poses additional challenges for these channels in adapting to defined outcome ETFs [7]

Core Insights - The U.S. ETF industry is experiencing rapid growth, with net inflows in 2025 surpassing the previous record of $1.2 trillion set in 2024, indicating a shift towards price-based segments with distinct product offerings and market leaders [1] Low-Cost Segment - The low-cost segment, defined as ETFs with net expense ratios of 0.25% and below, accounted for 79% of the U.S. ETF market by assets as of November 7, 2025, with the "Big 3" (Vanguard, BlackRock, State Street) holding an 82% combined market share [2] - Traditional beta ETFs, which provide market-cap weighted indexed exposure, make up 88% of the low-cost segment, with an asset-weighted fee of only 0.09% [3] - State Street announced a ticker change and fee cut for the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) on October 31, 2025, while Vanguard reduced expense ratios for 53 ETFs in February 2025 [3] Medium-Cost Segment - Active ETFs are increasingly displacing smart beta ETFs in the medium-cost segment (net expense ratios between 0.26% and 0.75%), highlighting a growing demand for active strategies [4] - BlackRock and State Street dominate this segment, but firms like Capital Group and JP Morgan are rapidly gaining market share with their active management strategies [5] - Actively managed dividend ETFs have seen significant inflows, contrasting with outflows from indexed dividend ETFs like SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY) [6] High-Cost Segment - The high-cost segment is led by leveraged and buffer ETFs, with major players including ProShares, Direxion, and Innovator Management [7] - Leveraged and inverse ETFs account for nearly one-third of all high-cost ETFs by assets, while buffer ETFs have consistently attracted over $10 billion in net inflows annually since 2022 [9] Future Outlook - Over 40% of new ETFs launched in the U.S. in 2025 were in the high-price segment, including single-stock ETFs, although their success rate is generally low [11] - Vanguard and BlackRock may expand their presence in active ETFs, which could lead to fee compression in the medium-cost segment, benefiting investors with lower costs and more product options [10]

Group 1 - The focus is on income-producing asset classes such as REITs, ETFs, Preferreds, and 'Dividend Champions' that target premium dividend yields up to 10% [1] - iREIT®+HOYA Capital is highlighted as a premier income-focused investing service that offers sustainable portfolio income, diversification, and inflation hedging opportunities [2] - The article discusses the transition from high exposure to large-cap stocks to a more diversified investment strategy that includes buffer funds, CEFs, ETFs, BDCs, and REITs [3]