ETF Intel Q&A: Golden Eagle Strategies

Gabrielle Vennitti, Senior Manager of ETF Listings at Nasdaq, speaks with Marc Zuccaro, Managing Principal & Portfolio Manager at Golden Eagle Strategies, about the firm’s research-driven approach and their newly launched Golden Eagle Dynamic Hypergrowth ETF (HYP).

1. Could you share an overview of Golden Eagle Strategies, including details about your team and approach to investing?

Golden Eagle Strategies, LLC is a boutique investment advisory firm that specializes in growth equities. Our investment approach is based on 40+ years of research seeking to identify the common statistical attributes of top performing stocks. We apply a rigorous, research-based framework geared to uncover companies with strong growth dynamics. Our Founder & CIO has managed portfolios through the ups and downs of 9 full market cycles, using statistical evidence and history as a guide as opposed to relying on opinions or subjective thinking. Today, we focus on Hypergrowth Stocks – a dynamic and powerful asset class that emerged in 2008 and has since outperformed every major equity category, based upon our research.

2. You recently launched the Golden Eagle Dynamic Hypergrowth ETF (HYP). How would you define hypergrowth in this context?

Hypergrowth Stocks are defined as companies achieving year-over-year sales growth of at least 40%+. These companies are often undergoing macro transformations—technological breakthroughs, digitization, and structural shifts in consumer behavior. HYP is designed to provide investors with targeted exposure to U.S.-listed companies demonstrating this exceptional revenue acceleration. Our actively managed process responds dynamically to growth shifts while avoiding overexposure to legacy benchmarks or ‘Magnificent 7’ growth. We believe that Hypergrowth Stocks are an untapped segment of growth.

3. In what ways does hypergrowth present a distinctive opportunity within the realm of ETFs?

Since the term was first defined in 2008, our research demonstrates that hypergrowth companies have displayed superior performance patterns that are often missed by conventional strategies. Traditional stock indices, according to our research, do not have significant exposure to Hypergrowth Stocks which have constituted just 3% of the S&P 500 Index and 6% of the Nasdaq 100 on average over the past 15 years (2010-2024). Passive strategies offer limited Hypergrowth Stock exposure due to benchmark constraints; hypergrowth opportunities rotate across sectors and companies quarterly, requiring active positioning to capture. Finally, many hypergrowth companies, especially unprofitable ones, are bypassed by traditional investors due to dependence on metrics like P/E and earnings growth, which do not capture momentum and future potential.

4. Why is it crucial for HYP, and for hypergrowth investments in general, to offer cross-sector exposure?

While “Hypergrowth” is often associated with technology, the reality is that this subset of growth stocks is dynamic. Hypergrowth leadership occurs across all sectors, including healthcare, industrials, energy, finance, and more. Capturing the full spectrum of hypergrowth potential thus requires broad market screening and a dynamic approach to stay aligned with current growth trends.

5. As 2025 draws to a close, what is one key consideration you believe investors should keep in mind?

Once the stock market starts hitting new highs, investors often start raising concerns about overvaluation. However, the US is undergoing an economic miracle which few might understand. From 1981 to 2014, S&P 500 earnings grew at 6.4%. Since 2014, S&P 500 earnings have grown at a 8.0% annual rate. justifying the historically high stock valuations which are regarded as excessive by many in the investment community. But in actuality, these valuations are not out of line when looked at within a historical context. If corporate profits grow faster, stocks are worth more. It’s that simple. The advent of AI and its impact on the economy coupled with efficiency measures being installed by corporate America promises to expand profitability even more, which has positive implications for the US stock market.