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Is ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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The ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL - Free Report) was launched on 02/03/2015, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.

Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.

There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies.

Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.

This area offers many different investment choices, such as simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies; however, not all of these strategies can deliver superior results.

Fund Sponsor & Index

Because the fund has amassed over $1.48 billion, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Mid Cap Value. REGL is managed by Proshares. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats Index.

The S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats Index targets companies that are currently members of the S&P MidCap 400 Index and have increased dividend payments each year for at least 15 years.

Cost & Other Expenses

For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.

Annual operating expenses for REGL are 0.40%, which makes it one of the more expensive products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.47%.

Performance and Risk

So far this year, REGL has lost about -2.79%, and is down about -1.54% in the last one year (as of 01/17/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $63.72 and $76.42.

REGL has a beta of 0.85 and standard deviation of 16.63% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 47 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.

Alternatives

ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Mid Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

IShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO - Free Report) tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG - Free Report) tracks NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index. IShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has $25 billion in assets, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has $73.95 billion. DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VIG charges 0.06%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Mid Cap Value.

Bottom Line

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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