It can be helpful to revisit how materials performed in 2025 first.Gold mining companies, for example, benefitted from gold's steady, solid ascent towards $5,000 an ounce. While, at press time, it has since dropped slightly from that total, global uncertainty may continue to bolster its case. Materials Stocks: More Than Construction? Will Materials Stocks Repeat Their Strong 2025 in 2026? Can materials stocks build on their strong momentum this year, following some positive signs in 2025? The wide universe ...

Core Insights - The Fidelity MSCI Materials Index ETF (FMAT) is a passively managed ETF launched on October 21, 2013, providing broad exposure to the Materials - Broad segment of the equity market [1] - The ETF is designed for long-term investors and is favored for its low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency [1] Fund Overview - FMAT has accumulated assets exceeding $428.53 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF [3] - The ETF aims to replicate the performance of the MSCI USA IMI Materials Index, which reflects the materials sector in the U.S. equity market [3] Cost Structure - The annual operating expense ratio for FMAT is 0.08%, making it the least expensive option in its category [4] - The ETF offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.66% [4] Holdings and Diversification - Linde Plc Common Stock (LIN) constitutes approximately 16.27% of total assets, with Sherwin Williams Co (SHW) and Ecolab Inc (ECL) following [5] - The top 10 holdings represent about 55.71% of total assets under management [6] Performance Metrics - FMAT has experienced an 8.1% gain year-to-date and a 1.64% increase over the past year as of July 29, 2025 [7] - The ETF has traded between $42.02 and $55.17 in the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.05 and a standard deviation of 19.16% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [7] Alternatives - FMAT holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Materials ETFs sector [8] - Other alternatives include the FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources ETF (GUNR) and the Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB), with GUNR having $4.83 billion in assets and XLB at $5.38 billion [10]