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Is Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Low Vol Plus Equity ETF (GLOV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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Designed to provide broad exposure to the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF category of the market, the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Low Vol Plus Equity ETF (GLOV - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 03/15/2022.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.

Market cap weighted indexes work great for investors who believe in market efficiency. They provide a low-cost, convenient and transparent way of replicating market returns.

On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.

By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.

Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.

Fund Sponsor & Index

The fund is managed by Goldman Sachs Funds, and has been able to amass over $1.3 billion, which makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the GOLDMAN SACHS ACTBT WORLD LW VL PL EQ ID.

The Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Low Vol Plus Equity Index delivers exposure to large and mid-capitalization equity securities of developed market issuers, including the United States.

Cost & Other Expenses

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.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.25% for this ETF, which makes it one of the cheaper products in the space.

The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.72%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Most ETFs are very transparent products, and disclose their holdings on a daily basis. ETFs also offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, though it's still important for investors to research a fund's holdings.

Taking into account individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 2.94% of the fund's total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Nvidia Corp (NVDA).

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 16.33% of GLOV's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Low Vol Plus Equity ETF has added about 10.8% so far, and was up about 17.57% over the last 12 months (as of 06/30/2025). GLOV has traded between $46.25 and $54.37 in this past 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 0.74 and standard deviation of 12.57% for the trailing three-year period. With about 465 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .

Alternatives

Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Low Vol Plus Equity ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

iShares Global 100 ETF (IOO) tracks S&P Global 100 Index and the iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) tracks MSCI All Country World Index. iShares Global 100 ETF has $6.55 billion in assets, iShares MSCI ACWI ETF has $22.11 billion. IOO has an expense ratio of 0.40% and ACWI changes 0.32%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF

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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