Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, the ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF (EQL Quick QuoteEQL - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on July 7, 2009.

The fund is sponsored by Alps. It has amassed assets over $557.00 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Blend

Large cap companies usually 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 usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.

Costs

Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.25%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.7%.

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 Energy sector -- about -999900% of the portfolio. Industrials and Materials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Technology Select Sector Spdr Fund (XLK) accounts for about 9.77% of total assets, followed by Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Spdr Fund (XLY) and Communication Services Select Sector Spdr Fund (XLC).

The top 10 holdings account for about 91.65% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

EQL seeks to match the performance of the NYSE Select Sector Equal Weight Index before fees and expenses. The NYSE Equal Sector Weight Index comprises of all active Select Sector SPDR ETFs in an equal weighted portfolio. These sector includes Consumer Discretionary, Consumer Staples, Materials, Energy, Technology, Utilities, Financial, Industrial, Health Care & Real Estate.

The ETF return is roughly 10.72% so far this year and is up roughly 13.36% in the last one year (as of 09/12/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $37.36 and $45.87.

The ETF has a beta of 0.91 and standard deviation of 14.44% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 12 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.

Alternatives

ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF 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, EQL is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) track a similar index. While iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $674.11 billion in assets, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $749.17 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and VOO charges 0.03%.

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.