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Is Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Value ETF (NUMV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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A smart beta exchange traded fund, the Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Value ETF (NUMV - Free Report) debuted on 12/13/2016, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Value category of the market.

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.

Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.

If you're the kind of investor who would rather try and beat the market through good stock selection, then smart beta funds are your best choice; this fund class is known for tracking non-cap weighted strategies.

These indexes attempt to select stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance, based on certain fundamental characteristics or a combination of such characteristics.

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 Nuveen. NUMV has been able to amass assets over $362.76 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Mid Cap Value. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the TIAA ESG USA Mid-Cap Value Index.

The TIAA ESG USA Mid-Cap Value Index comprises of equity securities issued by mid- capitalization companies listed on US exchanges. It uses a rules-based methodology that seeks to provide investment exposure that generally replicates mid-cap value benchmarks through a portfolio of securities that adhere to predetermined ESG, controversial business involvement and low-carbon screening criteria.

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.

Annual operating expenses for NUMV are 0.31%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.14%.

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.

NUMV's heaviest allocation is in the Financials sector, which is about 16% of the portfolio. Its Industrials and Real Estate round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Ferguson Plc accounts for about 2.31% of total assets, followed by Baker Hughes Co (BKR - Free Report) and Oneok Inc (OKE - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 21.48% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF has gained about 0.77% so far this year and is down about -1.79% in the last one year (as of 12/06/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $26.41 and $32.94.

The ETF has a beta of 1.10 and standard deviation of 18.97% for the trailing three-year period. With about 89 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Value ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Mid Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ - Free Report) tracks ---------------------------------------- and the iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA ESG Focus Index. JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF has $7.63 billion in assets, iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF has $12.77 billion. JEPQ has an expense ratio of 0.35% and ESGU charges 0.15%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Mid Cap Value.

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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