Is SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) a Strong ETF Right Now?

The SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) made its debut on 04/15/2015, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund that provides broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend 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.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.By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results.Fund Sponsor & IndexBecause the fund has amassed over $1.40 billion, this makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Blend. QUS is managed by State Street Global Advisors. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Index.The MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Capped Index seeks to measure the equity market performance of large and mid-cap companies across the U.S. equity market.Cost & Other ExpensesFor ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.15% for this ETF, which makes it one of the cheaper products in the space.QUS's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.50%.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.Representing 23% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.When you look at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 3.14% of the fund's total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Meta Platforms Inc Class A (META).QUS's top 10 holdings account for about 21.43% of its total assets under management.Performance and RiskSo far this year, QUS has lost about -0.25%, and is up roughly 10.29% in the last one year (as of 03/12/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $138.56 and $163.91.QUS has a beta of 0.91 and standard deviation of 14.61% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 594 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesSPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) tracks S&P 500 Index and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) tracks S&P 500 Index. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $585.78 billion in assets, SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $593.64 billion. VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03% and SPY 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 Style Box - Large Cap Blend.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 SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS): ETF Research Reports Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): ETF Research Reports Meta Platforms, Inc. (META): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks