If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the ALPS (OUSA), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 07/14/2015.
The fund is sponsored by Alps. It has amassed assets over $813.13 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that find themselves in the large cap category typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.
Value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios. They also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Considering long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets; however, they are more likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
Costs
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.48%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.52%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 22.50% of the portfolio. Information Technology and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Apple Inc. (AAPL) accounts for about 5.17% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Jpmorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).
The top 10 holdings account for about 40.51% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
OUSA seeks to match the performance of the FTSE US Qual / Vol / Yield Factor 5% Capped Index before fees and expenses. The OShares U.S. Quality Dividend Index measures the performance of publicly-listed large-capitalization and mid-capitalization dividend-paying issuers in the United States.
The ETF has added roughly 16.98% so far this year and it's up approximately 26.79% in the last one year (as of 09/26/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $40.56 and $53.59.
The ETF has a beta of 0.88 and standard deviation of 13.99% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 101 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
ALPS holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, OUSA is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $61.25 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $126.93 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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Get it free >>ALPS (OUSA): ETF Research Reports
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD): ETF Research Reports
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
