Should You Invest in the Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA)?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market, look no further than the Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 10/21/2013.While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.Investor-friendly, sector ETFs provide many options to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Consumer Staples - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 14, placing it in bottom 13%.Index DetailsThe fund is sponsored by Fidelity. It has amassed assets over $1.20 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market. FSTA seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA IMI Consumer Staples Index before fees and expenses.The MSCI USA IMI Consumer Staples Index represents the performance of the consumer staples sector in the U.S. equity market.CostsCost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.08%, making it the least expensive product in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.41%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsWhile ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Consumer Staples sector--about 100% of the portfolio.Looking at individual holdings, Costco Wholesale Corp Common Stock Usd.005 (COST) accounts for about 12.34% of total assets, followed by Procter + Gamble Co/the Common Stock (PG) and Walmart Inc Common Stock Usd.1 (WMT).The top 10 holdings account for about 64.66% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskSo far this year, FSTA has gained about 14.29%, and is up roughly 20.02% in the last one year (as of 11/19/2024). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $42.85 and $51.72.The ETF has a beta of 0.60 and standard deviation of 13.26% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 107 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesFidelity MSCI Consumer Staples 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, FSTA is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Consumer Staples ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) tracks Consumer Staples Select Sector Index. Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF has $7.11 billion in assets, Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF has $16.22 billion. VDC has an expense ratio of 0.10% and XLP charges 0.09%.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 Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA): ETF Research Reports Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC): ETF Research ReportsTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks