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Should SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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The SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS - Free Report) was launched on 04/15/2015, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $1.29 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Blend

Large cap companies typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.

Blend ETFs are aptly named, since they tend to hold a mix of growth and value stocks, as well as show characteristics of both kinds of equities.

Costs

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.15%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.42%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector--about 26.30% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Microsoft Corp (MSFT - Free Report) accounts for about 3.02% of total assets, followed by Nvidia Corp (NVDA - Free Report) and Meta Platforms Inc Class A (META - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 22.46% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

QUS seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Index measures the equity market performance of large and mid-cap companies across the U.S. equity market. It aims to represent the performance of a combination of three factors: value, quality, and low volatility.

The ETF has gained about 10.81% so far this year and was up about 25.95% in the last one year (as of 05/23/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $115.79 and $146.71.

The ETF has a beta of 0.91 and standard deviation of 15.21% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 609 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, QUS is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV - Free Report) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $463.24 billion in assets, SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $526.86 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and SPY charges 0.09%.

Bottom-Line

Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also 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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