Is Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD) a Strong ETF Right Now?

A smart beta exchange traded fund, the Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD) debuted on 02/23/2016, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Growth category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the 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.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.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 & IndexManaged by Janus Henderson, JSMD has amassed assets over $437.58 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Small Cap Growth. This particular fund seeks to match the performance of the Janus Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index before fees and expenses.The Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index selects small- and medium-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for smart growth by evaluating each company performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency.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.Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.30% for JSMD, making it on par with most peer products in the space.It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 0.79%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsIt is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.JSMD's heaviest allocation is in the Healthcare sector, which is about 28.80% of the portfolio. Its Industrials and Information Technology round out the top three.When you look at individual holdings, Incyte Corporation (INCY) accounts for about 3.29% of the fund's total assets, followed by Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NBIX) and Heico Corporation (HEI).The top 10 holdings account for about 23.53% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskSo far this year, JSMD has lost about -3.92%, and is up about 5.01% in the last one year (as of 03/25/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $64.79 and $82.80.The ETF has a beta of 1.17 and standard deviation of 22.57% for the trailing three-year period. With about 266 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesJanus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Small Cap Growth segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.IShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) tracks Russell 2000 Growth Index and the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) tracks CRSP U.S. Small Cap Growth Index. IShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has $11.37 billion in assets, Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF has $18.52 billion. IWO has an expense ratio of 0.24% and VBK charges 0.07%.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 - Small Cap Growth.Bottom 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.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>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 Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD): ETF Research Reports Incyte Corporation (INCY): Free Stock Analysis Report Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX): Free Stock Analysis Report Heico Corporation (HEI): Free Stock Analysis Report iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK): 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