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Is Invesco FTSE RAFI US 1000 ETF (PRF) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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Making its debut on 12/19/2005, smart beta exchange traded fund Invesco FTSE RAFI US 1000 ETF (PRF - Free Report) provides investors broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value 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.

Market cap weighted indexes work great for investors who believe in market efficiency. They provide 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.

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

Managed by Invesco, PRF has amassed assets over $6.88 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. Before fees and expenses, PRF seeks to match the performance of the FTSE RAFI US 1000 Index.

The FTSE RAFI US 1000 Index is designed to track the performance of the largest U.S. equities, selected based on the following four fundamental measures of firm size: book value, income, sales and dividends. U.S. equities are then weighted by each of these four fundamental measures.An overall weight is calculated for each firm by equally-weighting each fundamental measure.

Cost & Other Expenses

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor. And, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.39%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

PRF's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.77%.

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.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Financials sector - about 20.60% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Information Technology round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL - Free Report) accounts for about 2.42% of total assets, followed by Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK/B) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM - Free Report) .

PRF's top 10 holdings account for about 17.8% of its total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

So far this year, PRF return is roughly 8.99%, and is up about 15.74% in the last one year (as of 08/13/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $30.37 and $39.66.

The ETF has a beta of 0.98 and standard deviation of 15.67% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 1009 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Invesco FTSE RAFI US 1000 ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD - Free Report) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $56.66 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $117.99 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV charges 0.04%.

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 - Large 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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