Core Insights - The Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF (FESM) employs multi-factor strategies focused on small-cap stocks with a growth tilt, which has contributed to its outperformance compared to the Russell 2000 and its peers [1] Group 1 - FESM is designed to follow multi-factor strategies specifically for small-cap stocks [1] - The fund's growth tilt has been a significant factor in its ability to outperform the Russell 2000 index [1]

Group 1 - Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF (FESM) is an actively managed fund launched on December 20, 2007, and listed as an ETF in November 2023 [1] - Historical prices for FESM are available from November 20, 2023, at data providers [1] - Fred Piard, PhD, is a quantitative analyst with over 30 years of experience in technology and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010 [1] Group 2 - Fred Piard runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value, focusing on quality dividend stocks and companies at the forefront of tech innovation [1] - The group also provides market risk indicators, a real estate strategy, a bond strategy, and an income strategy in closed-end funds [1]

Core Viewpoint - Small-cap U.S. stocks are showing signs of a potential comeback after a prolonged period of underperformance, with recent data indicating positive trends for investors in this segment [1] Group 1: Market Performance - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has gained approximately 28% over the past six months, outperforming the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which saw a 23% increase [1] - The Russell 2000 index surpassed the 2,500 mark for the first time, indicating a significant milestone for small-cap stocks [1] Group 2: Economic Factors - Early-year weakness in small-cap stocks was largely attributed to President Trump's announcement of higher tariffs, which adversely affected smaller companies [2] - The annual inflation rate in the U.S. rose to 3% in September 2025, up from 2.9% in August, which may influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy [3] - The Federal Reserve has already implemented its first rate cut of 2025 and is expected to consider additional cuts, which could benefit small-cap stocks [4][5] Group 3: Trade Relations - Recent easing of trade tensions, including potential trade deals with China and India, may provide a favorable environment for small-cap stocks [6] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - The Russell 2000 is currently trading at a P/E ratio of 34.32, an increase from 29.87 a year ago, indicating that small-cap stocks are not necessarily undervalued [7] - In comparison, the Nasdaq 100 Index has a P/E ratio of 33.25, while the S&P 500 Index stands at 25.58, suggesting that small caps are relatively more expensive [8] Group 5: Top Performing Small-Cap ETFs - Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF (FESM) has shown a six-month performance increase of 31.49% with an AUM of $2.85 billion [10] - Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (VTWO) has increased by 29.4% over six months, with an AUM of $13.3 billion [10] - Other notable ETFs include Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF (FSCC) with a 31.7% increase and Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL) with a 29.2% increase [11]