A smart beta exchange traded fund, the iShares Paris-Aligned Climate MSCI USA ETF (PABU) debuted on 04/08/2022, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Blend category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.
Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.
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.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other 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 Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $1.86 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - All Cap Blend. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA CLMT PARIS ALGN BNC EXT SLCT ID.
The MSCI USA Climate Paris Aligned Benchmark Extended Select Index composed of U.S. large & mid-capitalization stocks designed to be compatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement by following a decarbonization trajectory, reducing exposure to climate-related transition & physical risks & increasing exposure to companies favourably positioned for the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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 0.10%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.02%.
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.
Representing 38% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Nvidia Corp (NVDA) accounts for about 8.42% of the fund's total assets, followed by Apple Inc (AAPL) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT).
PABU's top 10 holdings account for about 42.35% of its total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, PABU has lost about -1.78%, and it's up approximately 22.23% in the last one year (as of 01/14/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $52.24 and $67.53.
The fund has a beta of 1.04 and standard deviation of 18.28% for the trailing three-year period. With about 212 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Paris-Aligned Climate MSCI USA ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - All Cap Blend segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) tracks MSCI USA ESG Focus Index and the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) tracks ----------------------------------------. IShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF has $13.10 billion in assets, JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF has $20.79 billion. ESGU has an expense ratio of 0.15% and JEPQ charges 0.35%.
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 - All Cap Blend.
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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Get it free >>iShares Paris-Aligned Climate MSCI USA ETF (PABU): ETF Research Reports
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iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU): ETF Research Reports
JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ): ETF Research Reports
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