Should ALPS (OUSA) Be on Your Investing Radar?
If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the ALPS (OUSA), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 07/14/2015.
The fund is sponsored by Alps. It has amassed assets over $665.93 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that find themselves in the large cap category typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.
Carrying lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, value stocks also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Considering long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets; however, they are more likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
Costs
When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.48%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.89%.
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 Information Technology sector--about 20% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Home Depot Inc. (HD) accounts for about 5.07% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Apple Inc. (AAPL).
The top 10 holdings account for about 40.17% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
OUSA seeks to match the performance of the FTSE US Qual / Vol / Yield Factor 5% Capped Index before fees and expenses. The OShares U.S. Quality Dividend Index measures the performance of publicly-listed large-capitalization and mid-capitalization dividend-paying issuers in the United States.
The ETF has added roughly 4.02% so far this year and is up about 16.43% in the last one year (as of 09/14/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $41.51 and $45.06.
The ETF has a beta of 0.86 and standard deviation of 14.60% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 101 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
ALPS 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, OUSA is an excellent option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $50.40 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $101.15 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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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ALPS (OUSA): ETF Research Reports
Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report
The Home Depot, Inc. (HD): Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports