Displaying items by tag: ETFs

Asset managers are increasingly rolling out tax-managed products, with investments in these vehicles seeing notable growth. Assets in tax-managed separately managed accounts (SMAs) surged to over $500 billion, a 67% increase within 18 months, while tax-managed mutual funds grew by 22% to $73 billion, according to Morningstar. 

Direct indexing dominates tax-managed SMA assets, offering customized tax management by investing in individual stocks within an index, though other strategies like ETF model portfolios and active equity are gaining traction. 

Morgan Stanley’s Parametric leads this area, managing $245 billion, mainly through direct indexing. Morningstar anticipates direct indexing will stay prevalent, but asset managers like JP Morgan’s 55ip and AB are exploring alternatives, focusing on model portfolios and municipal bonds for tax advantages. 

Finsum: We may see more unified managed accounts, which integrate various investment types, creating more comprehensive tax management options.

As major tech stocks like Meta and Microsoft face challenges from rising costs and AI investment, dividend stocks are gaining attention for their potential stability amid election-related uncertainty. 

For beginner investors, choosing effective dividend stocks and ETFs remains an essential consideration as dividend growth has historically outpaced inflation over the long term. In one case, a dividend investor on Reddit turned an initial $60,000 retirement account into $1.2 million over 27 years through a disciplined investment approach, later shifting his focus to high-yield dividend ETFs. 

His portfolio, which generated around $9,495 monthly, included holdings like JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF and Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF, along with tech-focused funds like Invesco QQQ Trust. With investments like the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and Ares Capital Corporation, the portfolio reflected a mix of income-generating ETFs and steady-growth investments.

Finsum: If rates stall out look to dividends to supplement income streams particularly with ETFs.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management has partnered with GeoWealth to deliver customizable, open-architecture investment models for registered investment advisors (RIAs). These models, accessible through GeoWealth’s unified managed accounts (UMA) platform, include SMAs, ETFs, direct indexing, mutual funds, and alternatives, allowing RIAs to tailor them to clients’ unique goals and tax considerations. 

Starting with mutual fund and ETF models, Goldman plans to expand offerings to include equity SMAs, fixed-income solutions, and direct indexing in the coming months. Responding to demand from RIAs for scalable, personalized portfolio solutions, the partnership aims to streamline account management, simplify paperwork, and boost operational efficiency. 

Goldman’s multi-asset solutions team will power these custom models, leveraging the firm’s capabilities with API integrations across 42 tech vendors. 

Finsum: These solutions can increase flexibility greatly for RIAs and provide a streamlined process for clientele. 

Vanguard's ETFs offer excellent options for investors seeking both passive income and diversification. The Vanguard Value ETF, one of the largest value-oriented funds, holds mainly large-cap stocks with solid dividend payouts, keeping its top 10 holdings at around 21% of the portfolio. 

For a more concentrated approach, the Vanguard Mega Cap Value ETF focuses on mega-cap companies, leaning toward value-heavy sectors like healthcare and energy, which tend to fare well in economic downturns. Investors aiming for higher yield might consider the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF, which offers broad exposure to 537 holdings and a nearly 3% yield without overemphasizing any single sector. 

Although these funds have lagged the tech-driven S&P 500 recently, they have shown significant long-term growth, nearly tripling in value over the last decade. 

Finsum: These ETFs suit different needs, whether one prefers a focus on industry giants or broader diversification for consistent passive income.

Renewable energy stocks, once at peak valuations in 2020-21, are struggling with investor pullbacks and face extended uncertainty partly due to U.S. election concerns. Interest in the sector has been eroded by competition from Chinese renewables, strong returns on conventional energy, and issues like supply chain disruptions and grid connection challenges. 

Although the Inflation Reduction Act has supported renewable investments in the U.S., analysts warn that the potential return of Donald Trump to office could redirect funds to fossil fuels, while a win for Democrat Kamala Harris might revive confidence in renewables. 

Even with lower interest rates, a new boom on the scale of 2020-21 is unlikely, as renewable growth has slowed. The sector has seen 17 consecutive months of net outflows, losing over $11 billion in 2024 alone, with major funds like the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF losing 28% in unit numbers. 

Finsum: There could be a serious opportunity to find value in these ETFs at the current price levels.