Should Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (FLQM) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Looking for broad exposure to the Mid Cap Blend segment of the US equity market? You should consider the Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (FLQM), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 04/26/2017.The fund is sponsored by Franklin Templeton Investments. It has amassed assets over $1.48 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Mid Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.Why Mid Cap BlendWith market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion, mid cap companies usually contain higher growth prospects than large cap companies, and are considered less risky than their small cap counterparts. These types of companies, then, have a good balance of stability and growth potential.Typically holding a combination of both growth and value stocks, blend ETFs also demonstrate qualities seen in value and growth investments.CostsWhen considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.30%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.28%.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 to the Industrials sector--about 21.80% of the portfolio. Consumer Discretionary and Financials round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Williams Sonoma Inc (WSM) accounts for about 1.20% of total assets, followed by Idexx Laboratories Inc (IDXX) and Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL).The top 10 holdings account for about 11.09% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskFLQM seeks to match the performance of the LibertyQ U.S. Mid Cap Equity Index before fees and expenses. The LibertyQ U.S. Mid Cap Equity Index includes U.S. mid-capitalization companies that have favorable exposure to four investment style factors - quality, value, momentum and low volatility.The ETF has lost about -0.39% so far this year and is up about 5.42% in the last one year (as of 03/10/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $49.87 and $58.81.The ETF has a beta of 1.04 and standard deviation of 16.54% for the trailing three-year period. With about 206 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesFranklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, FLQM is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) and the iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) track a similar index. While Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF has $73.23 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF has $91.12 billion. VO has an expense ratio of 0.04% and IJH charges 0.05%.Bottom-LineAn increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.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.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 Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (FLQM): ETF Research Reports Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (IDXX): Free Stock Analysis Report Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM): Free Stock Analysis Report iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO): 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