VanEck has registered a launch a video-gaming and e-sports ETF, which strikes me as silly in the extreme but at least doesn’t include cryptocurrencies. “Silly in the extreme” means we’re not saying anything more about it. Happily, a bunch of really solid offerings – a new Litman Gregory, a bond fund run by ex-PIMCO guys, an emerging markets offering from LSV and the ETF version of several four-star funds – were filed at the same time. All of these funds and active ETFs are likely available by the end of September.
American Century Diversified Municipal Bond ETF
American Century Diversified Municipal Bond (TAXF), an actively-managed ETF, seeks current income that is exempt from federal income tax. The plan is to invest in a combination of investment-grade and high-yield muni bonds. They will primarily seek income but might achieve a bit of capital appreciation by anticipating interest rate moves or credit upgrades. The fund will be managed by Steven M. Permut, Joseph Gotelli, and Alan Kruss. Mr. Permut manages four other AC muni funds, including high yield. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
American Century Growth ETF
American Century Growth, an actively-managed ETF, seeks long-term capital growth. The plan is “to look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time.” (sigh) This distinguishes the fund from all of those wingnuts looking to invest in stocks they believe will decrease in value over time. The fund will be managed by somebody, but no names have yet been shared. Its opening expense ratio has not been released. There is a three-star American Century Growth (TWCGX) mutual fund, which Morningstar disparages for its “lack of a competitive advantage.” This might be the same game in a different wrapper.
Anfield Universal Fixed Income ETF
Anfield Universal Fixed Income, an actively-managed ETF, seeks current income. It’s another global, unconstrained fixed income fund whose investment universe includes MLPs, private debt and a variety of derivatives. The fund will be managed by three former PIMCO guys: Cyrille Conseil, Peter van de Zilver, and David Young. Its opening expense ratio is 0.95%.
BrandywineGLOBAL—Global Total Return ETF
BrandywineGLOBAL—Global Total Return, an actively-managed ETF, seeks maximize total return, consisting of income and capital appreciation. The plan is to invest, both long and short, in domestic and foreign fixed income securities, debt instruments, currencies and related investments. That includes high yield and EM securities, as well as some privately-issued debt. The fund will be managed by Stephen S. Smith, David F. Hoffman, John P. McIntyre and Anujeet Sareen. Its opening expense ratio is 0.60%.
Calamos Short-Term Bond Fund
Calamos Short-Term Bond Fund will seek a high level of current income consistent with preservation of principal. The plan is to invest in, well, investment-grade short term bonds. Up to 20% of the bonds might be non-investment grade or foreign. The fund will be managed by John P. Calamos, Sr. and three other guys. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed, and the minimum initial investment will be $2,500.
Center Coast Brookfield Energy Infrastructure Fund
Center Coast Brookfield Energy Infrastructure Fund will seek total return through growth of capital and current income. The plan is to invest in master limited partnerships (MLPs) and MLP-like securities. The fund will be managed by Dan C. Tutcher, Robert T. Chisholm, and Jeff Jorgensen. Its opening expense ratio is 1.50%, and the minimum initial investment for “A” and “Y” shares will be $1,000.
First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF
First Trust Long Duration Opportunities, an actively-managed ETF, seeks to generate current income with a focus on preservation of capital. The plan is to invest in publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities and bonds, debentures and mortgage-backed securities. There’s also a bunch of talk about “dollar rolls” and an average effective duration of eight years or more. The fund will be managed by Jim Snyder and Jeremiah Charles. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
Gabelli Financial Services Fund
Gabelli Financial Services Fund will seek capital appreciation. The plan, give or take some unnecessary noise about Rule 12d3-1, is to buy the stocks of financial services companies. No word about what they’re up to beyond that, or how they might be different from the other 61 financial services funds. The fund will be managed by Macrae Sykes, who joined Gabelli in 2008 as a financial services analyst. Its opening expense ratio for AAA shares is 1.25%, and the minimum initial investment will be $1,000. Technically, the name of this fund is “The Gabelli Financial Services Fund.” Given Mr. Gabelli’s reputation, it strikes me as possible that the name refers to “The Gabelli” rather than “The Fund.” In any case, we shortened it just as we do when talking about Ohio State University.
Gadsden Dynamic Growth ETF
Gadsden Dynamic Growth ETF, an actively-managed ETF, seeks total return. The plan is to have a “strategic allocation sleeve” that comprises about 80% of the portfolio and an opportunistic “tactical allocation sleeve” that might comprise 20%. That strategic sleeve tries to generate exposure to “certain indexes composed of equity securities of certain countries, sectors, industries, or market capitalizations, including indices that may be factor-based.” Uh-huh. The fund will be managed by Kevin R. Harper and James W. Judge. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities
Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities (JMBS), an actively-managed ETF, seeks a high level of total return consisting of income and capital appreciation. The plan is to invest in mortgage-related fixed income instruments of varying maturities that can provide “a net return of 0.50% over the Bloomberg Barclays US MBS Index Total Return Value Unhedged USD (“Bloomberg Barclays US MBS Index”), while generally maintaining an investment return with substantial correlation to the Index.” The fund will be managed by John Kerschner and Nick Childs. Mr. Kerschner also manages the four-star JH Multi-Sector Income Fund (JMUDX). Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
Litman Gregory Masters High Income Alternatives Fund
Litman Gregory Masters High Income Alternatives Fund will seek a high level of current income from diverse sources, consistent with the goal of capital preservation over time. The plan is to hire four teams of star managers, one each offering (1) an equity income strategy, (2) a credit value strategy, (3) a multi credit strategy, and (4) an option income strategy. The fund will be managed by teams from Ares, Guggenheim, Neuberger Berman and an unnamed fourth sub-adviser. Its opening expense ratio is 1.23%, and the minimum initial investment will be $1,000 unless you sign up for an automatic investment plan, in which case they raise the minimum and the minimum subsequent purchase requirements. That’s weird.
LSV Emerging Markets Equity Fund
LSV Emerging Markets Equity Fund will seek long-term growth of capital. The plan is to use quant models to identify and buy undervalued stocks where the underlying performance of the company is improving but that improvement is not yet recognized by “the market.” The fund will be managed by the regular LSV team headed by Josef Lakonishok, their CIO/CEO. Two of the firm’s three domestic quant / behavioral / value funds have four star ratings from Morningstar, the third is a three-star fund while their global value fund carries a two-star rating. The short version: LSV is way cool but they haven’t yet proven their chops in international markets. Its opening expense ratio is 1.45%, and the minimum initial investment will be $1,000.
Morgan Stanley Global Permanence Portfolio
Global Permanence Portfolio will seek long-term capital appreciation. The plan is to craft a global equity portfolio of firms with sustainable competitive advantages and, in particular, those with rising returns on invested capital, above-average business visibility, strong free cash flow generation and an attractive risk/reward. The fund will be managed by as-yet unnamed “members of the Growth team.” Given that the fund is pursuing the same strategy as hundreds of other competitors, it would be important to find some competitive advantage that the team possesses. Its opening expense ratio for “A” shares is 1.32%, and the minimum initial investment will be $1,000.
PGIM Active High Yield Bond ETF
PGIM Active High Yield Bond, an actively-managed ETF, seeks total return, through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. The plan is to invest in high yield bonds, with up to 25% invested in derivatives and up to 20% allocated to foreign bonds. The managers combine a top-down macro analysis with a bottom up view (ick) of the issuer’s ability to service the debt. The fund will be managed by a five-person team headed by Robert Cignarella, CFA. Mr. Cignarella & Co. also manage the four-star PGIM High Yield fund, among others. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
VanEck Vectors Municipal Allocation ETF
VanEck Vectors Municipal Allocation, an actively-managed ETF, seeks maximum long-term after-tax return, consisting of capital appreciation and income generally exempt from federal income tax. The plan is to start with a tactical allocation model attuned to credit and interest rate risk, then execute the resulting plan by investing in other VanEck exchange-traded products. There’s a helpful reminder that “investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses.” The fund will be managed by David Schassler and Barak Laks. Its opening expense ratio has not been disclosed.
