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

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market, the Fidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF (FSTA) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 10/21/2013.Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. 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.CostsInvestors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain 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 2.27%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many 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 13.12% of total assets, followed by Walmart Inc Common Stock Usd.1 (WMT) and Procter + Gamble Co/the Common Stock (PG).The top 10 holdings account for about 65.19% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskThe ETF has lost about -0.95% and is up about 11.82% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 01/20/2025), respectively. FSTA has traded between $44.28 and $52.29 during this last 52-week period.The ETF has a beta of 0.62 and standard deviation of 13.07% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 106 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 sufficient 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 $6.89 billion in assets, Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF has $16.10 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