Launched on 03/15/2022, the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Equity ETF (GSWO Quick QuoteGSWO - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF 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.

A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer 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 $1.61 billion, which makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity ETF. GSWO, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the GOLDMAN SACHS ACTIVEBETA WORLD EQ INDEX .

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

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 GSWO are 0.15%, which makes it one of the least expensive products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 1.70%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

When you look at individual holdings, Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) accounts for about 5.35% of the fund's total assets, followed by Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT).

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 26.33% of GSWO's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF return is roughly 1.53% and is up about 0% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 04/17/2026), respectively. GSWO has traded between $54.73 and $60.49 during this last 52-week period.

GSWO has a beta of 0.73 and standard deviation of 0.00% for the trailing three-year period. With about 788 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .

Alternatives

Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta World 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 $8.24 billion in assets, iShares MSCI ACWI ETF has $30.57 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.