Is Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Launched on 12/23/2014, the Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Style Box - Large 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.Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.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.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 & IndexEQAL is managed by Invesco, and this fund has amassed over $674.88 million, which makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Blend. EQAL, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index.The Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index is composed of securities in the Russell 1000 Index and is equally weighted across nine sector groups with each security within the sector receiving equal weight.Cost & Other ExpensesCost 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.With on par with most peer products in the space, this ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.20%.EQAL's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.68%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Information Technology sector - about 12.1% of the portfolio. Industrials and Financials round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Arista Networks Inc (ANET) accounts for about 0.72% of total assets, followed by Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE) and Ciena Corp (CIEN).Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 5.62% of EQAL's total assets under management.Performance and RiskThe ETF has added about 7.46% and is up roughly 10.17% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 08/27/2025), respectively. EQAL has traded between $41.38 and $51.95 during this last 52-week period. The ETF has a beta of 0.99 and standard deviation of 17.29% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 999 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .AlternativesInvesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) tracks S&P 500 Index and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) tracks S&P 500 Index. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $660.02 billion in assets, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $724.41 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and VOO changes 0.03%.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 BlendBottom LineTo 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.Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF InsightsZacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week.Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. It’s free!Get it now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks