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Is Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF (RSPG) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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Making its debut on 11/01/2006, smart beta exchange traded fund Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF (RSPG - Free Report) provides investors broad exposure to the Energy ETFs 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.

This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.

This area offers many different investment choices, such as simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies; however, not all of these strategies can deliver superior results.

Fund Sponsor & Index

The fund is sponsored by Invesco. It has amassed assets over $573.48 million, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Energy ETFs. RSPG, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the S&P 500 EQUAL WEIGHT ENERGY PLUS INDEX .

The S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy Plus Index equally weights stocks in the energy sector of the S&P 500 Index.

Cost & Other Expenses

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

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.40%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.

The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.50%.

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.

Representing 100% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Energy sector.

Taking into account individual holdings, Targa Resources Corp (TRGP - Free Report) accounts for about 5.34% of the fund's total assets, followed by Williams Cos Inc/the (WMB - Free Report) and Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI - Free Report) .

RSPG's top 10 holdings account for about 48.19% of its total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF has added roughly 10.10% and was up about 15.56% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 07/12/2024), respectively. RSPG has traded between $69.70 and $86.08 during this last 52-week period.

RSPG has a beta of 1.43 and standard deviation of 18.11% for the trailing three-year period. With about 23 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.

Alternatives

Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Energy ETFs segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE - Free Report) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE - Free Report) tracks Energy Select Sector Index. Vanguard Energy ETF has $8.46 billion in assets, Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF has $37.70 billion. VDE has an expense ratio of 0.10% and XLE charges 0.09%.

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

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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