MutualFundWire.com
   The insiders' edge for 40 Act industry executives!
an InvestmentWires' Publication |
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 MStar's Lee Names 2011 Best and Worst ETFs Morningstar analyst Samuel Lee names the best and the worst ETFs in 2011 before pointing out some key trends. He praises both BlackRock's iShares and Invesco's PowerShares for thriving despite a difficult year in the markets. Indeed, he points out that the ETF industry topped the mutual fund market by receiving an extra $100 billion of inflows. Lee points to the best among the some 1,400 ETFs as being iShares High Dividend Equity (HDV) and PowerShares S&P Low Volatility (SPLV). Both, he notes, are reasonably-priced low-volatility value funds. Lee also admits that he looked at asset flows as one clue as to which ETFs are best, "as I've found that good ideas tend to attract the bulk of assets." These funds have the lowest fees in their respective categories. Lee adds that their success pushed Russell Investments to slash 30 basis points off the fees on its own first-mover, low-volatility ETFs. At the bottom of Lee's list is UBS E-TRACS 2x Wells Fargo Business Development Company ETN (BDCL), which he calls the worst ETF this year. The ETF earned the spot due to high expenses and "questionable investment merit." It also failed to use its key advantage -- the extremely favorable tax treatment for an ETN, claims Lee. Lee sees this year as a good and interesting year for ETFs, because they are "growing and innovating and disrupting." He notes several trends, including: Printed from: MFWire.com/story.asp?s=38692 Copyright 2011, InvestmentWires, Inc. All Rights Reserved |