Core Insights - The First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX ETF (FYX) debuted on May 8, 2007, and provides broad exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend category of the market [1] Fund Overview - FYX is managed by First Trust Advisors and has accumulated over $880.27 million in assets, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in its segment [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the Nasdaq AlphaDEX Small Cap Core Index, which utilizes the AlphaDEX stock selection methodology [5] Cost Structure - FYX has annual operating expenses of 0.61%, making it one of the more expensive options in the smart beta ETF space [6] - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.13% [6] Sector Allocation - The Financials sector represents 20.6% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Consumer Discretionary as the next largest sectors [7] - The top 10 holdings account for approximately 4.31% of total assets under management, with Commscope Holding Company, Inc. (COMM) being the largest individual holding at about 0.58% [8] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, FYX has gained approximately 6.63% and is up about 10.81% over the last 12 months as of September 1, 2025 [10] - The ETF has a beta of 1.13 and a standard deviation of 22.17% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the small-cap blend space include iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR), which have significantly larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [12]

The increasing likelihood of a Fed interest rate cut, following Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Aug. 22, and investors rotating into sectors beyond tech, make small-cap stocks appear well-positioned for a comeback. Growing expectations of broader market strength among strategists also paint a better picture for small-cap stocks.The Russell 2000 Index, a benchmark for small-cap U.S. stocks, has surged around 3.1% since last Friday, following Fed Chair Jero ...

Group 1: Small-Cap Market Momentum - The small-cap space has shown momentum recently, with the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) gaining nearly 3% over the past week, outperforming the broad market fund (SPY) which gained 1% [1] - Anticipated Fed rate cuts are contributing to this momentum, with futures markets pricing in a 94% chance of a quarter-point cut at the next Fed meeting, up from 85% before the latest inflation data [2] - Small-cap companies, which typically have a higher debt burden at floating rates, will benefit from lower borrowing costs, aiding their expansion and profitability [3] Group 2: Valuation and Investment Opportunities - The Russell 2000 has underperformed the S&P 500 year-to-date, with a gain of just 1.5% compared to 9.6%, potentially providing an advantageous entry point for investors [4] - Small-caps are currently trading at a discount compared to large-caps, attracting institutional investors who are rotating out of crowded mega-cap trades into undervalued small-cap segments [5] Group 3: Business Sentiment and Economic Indicators - Optimism among small business owners increased in July, with the small business optimism index rising to 100.3, the highest since February and above the 52-year average of 98, indicating a stabilizing business environment [6] - Trends in reshoring and onshoring favor small-cap firms, as companies bring supply chains back to the U.S. amid global supply chain vulnerabilities [7] Group 4: M&A Activity and Market Dynamics - Dealmaking is increasing in sectors like healthcare, biotech, and tech services, with large-cap companies targeting small and mid-sized firms for growth, which historically favors small companies [8] - The broadening market breadth, where gains are spreading more evenly across the market, signals healthier market dynamics and could catalyze small-cap outperformance [10] Group 5: Investment Vehicles - Several ETFs in the small-cap space have a strong Zacks ETF Rank 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), indicating potential outperformance in the coming weeks, including iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) and Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB) [11]

Market Performance - Small-cap stocks outperformed major U.S. stock market indices on August 12, with the Russell 2000 Index gaining nearly 3%, marking its largest one-day rally since May [1] - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) also saw a jump of about 3% [1] Inflation and Economic Indicators - The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% year over year in July, slightly below the forecast of 2.8%, while core inflation increased to 3.1% from June's 2.9% [3] - The softer inflation data has strengthened the case for potential Fed rate cuts in September, with futures markets pricing in a 94% chance of a quarter-point cut [3] Small Business Sentiment - Optimism among small business owners increased in July, with the small business optimism index climbing to 100.3, the highest level since February and above the 52-year average of 98 [5] - This rise in optimism may indicate a stabilizing business environment, positively impacting small-cap stocks and ETFs [5] ETF Performance - Invesco S&P SmallCap Industrials ETF (PSCI) rose 3.8%, focusing on 93 small-cap companies in industrial sectors [6] - Invesco S&P SmallCap Information Technology ETF (PSCT) increased by 3.7%, providing exposure to 69 small-cap tech companies [7] - Invesco S&P SmallCap Value with Momentum ETF (XSVM) gained 3.6%, tracking 122 stocks with high value and momentum scores [8] - Invesco S&P SmallCap Quality ETF (XSHQ) also rose 3.6%, holding 121 stocks with high quality scores [9][10] - First Trust Small Cap Value AlphaDEX Fund (FYT) increased by 3.5%, tracking 262 stocks from the Nasdaq US 700 Small Cap Value Index [11] Sector Trends - Financials, industrials, and consumer discretionary stocks, which make up over half of the Russell 2000, are experiencing strong rebounds [13] - Regional banks are stabilizing as credit risks recede, while manufacturing and transportation sectors benefit from improved supply chains and infrastructure spending [13] M&A Activity - There is an uptick in dealmaking within healthcare, biotech, and tech services, with large-cap companies targeting small and mid-sized firms for growth [14] - This M&A momentum is attracting active managers and hedge funds, injecting fresh liquidity into the small-cap space [14] Valuation Trends - Large-cap valuations have become stretched after a prolonged rally, while small-caps remain relatively discounted, prompting institutional investors to rotate into under-owned segments like small-caps [12]

There's a lot of potential to investing in small cap companies, but with market capitalization below $2 billion, that high potential comes with even higher risk. Launched on 02/22/2008, the Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (RWJ) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market. The fund is sponsored by Invesco. It has amassed assets over $1.53 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap ...

Core Viewpoint - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is a significant player in the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, with over $66.50 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in this category [1] Group 1: Investment Potential - Small cap companies, defined as those with market capitalizations below $2 billion, present high potential but also come with increased risk [2] - Blend ETFs typically include a mix of growth and value stocks, providing a diversified investment approach [2] Group 2: Costs - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.19%, which is competitive within its peer group [3] - The ETF offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.12% [3] Group 3: Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF's largest sector allocation is to Financials, comprising approximately 19% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Healthcare [4] - Insmed Inc (INSM) represents about 0.66% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for around 4.5% of total assets under management [5] Group 4: Performance and Risk - The ETF aims to replicate the performance of the Russell 2000 Index, with a year-to-date return of approximately 0.50% and a decline of about -0.49% over the past year as of July 17, 2025 [6] - The ETF has a beta of 1.10 and a standard deviation of 22.23% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [7] Group 5: Alternatives - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is a strong option for investors interested in the Small Cap Blend segment [8] - Other comparable ETFs include the Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB) with $64.33 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.05%, and the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) with $81.21 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.06% [9] Group 6: Bottom Line - Passively managed ETFs are gaining popularity among both institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making them suitable for long-term investment strategies [10]

Core Insights - The Invesco Russell 2000 Dynamic Multifactor ETF (OMFS) offers investors broad exposure to the small-cap blend market segment, having debuted on November 8, 2017 [1] - The ETF industry has been traditionally dominated by market capitalization weighted indexes, but smart beta strategies are gaining traction among investors seeking to outperform the market through stock selection [2][3] Fund Overview - Managed by Invesco, OMFS has accumulated over $239.4 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF within its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the Russell 2000 Invesco Dynamic Multifactor Index, which selects stocks from the Russell 2000 Index, representing 2,000 small-cap companies in the U.S. [6] Cost Structure - OMFS has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.39%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.30% [7] Sector Allocation and Holdings - The fund's largest sector allocation is to Financials at 28.1%, followed by Industrials and Information Technology [8] - Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM) is the largest individual holding at 3.44% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings comprising approximately 14.19% of OMFS's total assets [9] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, OMFS has returned approximately 2.13% and is up about 8.98% over the last 12 months as of July 16, 2025 [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.05 and a standard deviation of 21.10% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification with around 649 holdings [11] Alternatives - Investors seeking to outperform the small-cap blend segment may consider OMFS, but there are alternative ETFs such as iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) that may offer lower expense ratios and risk profiles [12][13]

Looking for broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market? You should consider the Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF (VIOO) , a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 09/09/2010. The fund is sponsored by Vanguard. It has amassed assets over $2.95 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market. Why Small Cap Blend With more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 ...

Core Insights - The Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB) is a significant player in the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, with assets exceeding $64.97 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs in this category [1] Investment Potential - Small cap companies, defined as those with market capitalizations below $2 billion, present high potential but also come with increased risks [2] - Blend ETFs, like VB, typically hold a mix of growth and value stocks, showcasing characteristics of both types of equities [2] Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for the Vanguard Small-Cap ETF are 0.05%, positioning it as one of the least expensive options in the market [3] - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.36% [3] Sector Allocation and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation to the Industrials sector, comprising approximately 20.90% of the portfolio, followed by Financials and Information Technology [4] - Individual holdings include Slcmt1142 at about 1% of total assets, along with Nrg Energy Inc (NRG) and Expand Energy Corp (EXE) [5] Performance Metrics - VB aims to replicate the performance of the CRSP US Small Cap Index, which includes U.S. companies in the bottom 2%-15% of investable market capitalization [6] - As of July 10, 2025, the ETF has gained about 2.09% year-to-date and approximately 14.26% over the past year, with a trading range between $193.73 and $261.58 in the last 52 weeks [7] - The ETF has a beta of 1.07 and a standard deviation of 20.67% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [7] Competitive Landscape - The Vanguard Small-Cap ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating strong expected performance based on various factors [8] - Alternatives in the market include the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) with $66.93 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.19%, and the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) with $81.70 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.06% [9] Conclusion - Passively managed ETFs like VB are increasingly favored by both retail and institutional investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making them suitable for long-term investment strategies [10]