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Invest In These ETFs To Capitalize On Cash Strength
With the broader market going off the deep end and the S&P 500 plunging to 2014 levels last week, the hunt for value is widespread right now. Market watchers and participants are trying out different valuation indicators and running screeners to land up on trustworthy stocks. Many are also taking the ETF route to minimize stock-specific risks. After all, playing down risks is probably the sole motto of investors right now, in whatever way possible. Usually, most investors focus on fundamental indicators such as the price-to-earnings ratio (P/E), price-to-book (P/B) and the PEG ratio to select companies with strong fundamentals. But they often ignore cash flow measures. As we know that cash cushion is always needed in a rough market, one can easily take a look at the indicators related to cash flows to measure the performance of a company. While this tool can be greatly exercised in case of stocks, investors can apply this for the basket approach too. This can be done by investing in ETFs rich with companies having low price-to-cash flow (P/CF) ratios. Below we highlight a few ETFs with such cash characteristics so that investors can find some safe shelters in this turbulent market. iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (NYSEARCA: IYG ) The financial sector is presently in a good shape, thanks to loan growth amid low interest rates, stepped-up investment banking activities to reflect the increased corporate actions and cost containment. Plus, if the Fed enacts further rate hikes this year, the sector would get some of the much-needed additional support and shore up its net interest margin too. Apart from these positives, IYG boasts a few banking stalwarts like Citigroup (NYSE: C ), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) and Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS ). Each of these banks boasts a price-to-cash flow of under one. As a result, the fund can be considered as a safe destination in this downtime. However, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) ETF lost about 1% in the in the last five trading sessions (as of January 22, 2016). U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA: JETS ) The airline industry is a huge beneficiary of cheap oil. Fuel accounts for a large portion of airlines’ operating expenses and thus a drastic decline in fuel prices is a blessing for this airline ETF. Otherwise, development in the airline industry is rampant these days. Busy traffic on improving travel and business demand, restructuring indicatives and limited capacity growth are some of the important tailwinds. The first and fourth holdings of the fund, American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL ) and United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL ), form about one-fourth of the basket and also carry low P/CF ratios of 2.77 and 3 times, respectively. The fund was up 4.3% in the last five trading sessions (as of January 22, 2016). iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index ETF (NASDAQ: SOXX ) Since the second half of 2015 marked the rebound of tech stocks, semiconductors also hold promise. The semiconductor market will be propelled by smartphones and automotive in the coming days. Moreover, some analysts believe that the PC market is set for a rebound. Semiconductor companies like Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM ), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA ) and Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT ) have considerable exposure in SOXX. These stocks also have P/CF ratios in the range 3-4 times. SOXX has a Zacks ETF Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and added 2.9% in the last five trading sessions. TrimTabs International Free-Cash-Flow ETF (NYSEARCA: FCFI ) While this fund does not directly deal with stocks with low P/CF ratios, it has an indirect approach to the same objective. The fund looks to track 163 international companies with the highest free cash flow yields in 10 international markets, namely Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Australia. Launched in June 2015, the fund has amassed about $12.7 million so far. Adecco S.A. ( OTCPK:AHEXY ), RELX NV ( OTC:RDLSF ) and ABB LTD (NYSE: ABB ) are the top three companies of the basket. The 30-day SEC yield of the fund (as of December 31, 2015) is 2.13% annually. However, the fund gained 2.1% in the last five trading days (as of January 22, 2016). Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF (NYSEARCA: SYLD ) With an asset base of $138.1 million, the fund is based on the research that free cash flow is a key predictor of a company’s strength. This product invests in companies that show strong characteristics in returning free cash flow to their shareholders by way of cash dividends, share repurchases, or by reducing their leverage. The fund advanced about 1% in the last five trading sessions (as of January 22, 2016). Original post
ETF Deathwatch For January 2016: Count Grows To 386
Calendar year 2016 gets underway with 386 ETFs and ETNs on Deathwatch. The January list is 5.5% larger than December’s 366 and is the result of 30 additions and 10 escapees. The overall count consists of 284 ETFs and 102 ETNs. I am considering revising the criteria for ETF Deathwatch due to the quantity of closures in 2015 that had asset levels above the current $25 million cutoff level. However, I will wait until the quantity hits a new high before making changes to avoid artificially creating a new high due to altered criteria. In case you are wondering, the peak was 403 in September 2012 , the only time it registered more than 400. I have been pointing out the rapid proliferation of currency-hedged funds over the past year. Their appearance on ETF Deathwatch is another sign that the segment is approaching saturation. The Direxion Daily MSCI Europe Currency-Hedged Bull 2x (NYSEARCA: HEGE ), Direxion Daily MSCI Japan Currency-Hedged Bull 2x (NYSEARCA: HEGJ ), ProShares Hedged FTSE Europe ETF (NYSEARCA: HGEU ), and WisdomTree International Hedged SmallCap Dividend (NYSEARCA: HDLS ) are four additions this month that are currency hedged. Currency hedging isn’t the only form of hedging evident among the new arrivals to ETF Deathwatch. The ETRACS S&P 500 VEQTOR Switch Index ETN (NYSEARCA: VQTS ) tracks an index that employs a dynamic volatility hedge with VIX futures. “HFR” stands for hedge fund replication in the names of the three Highland ETFs joining the list this month. All three of them employ equity hedging via long/short portfolios. The average asset level of products on ETF Deathwatch held steady at $6.9 million, and the quantity of products with less than $2 million jumped from 73 to 83. The average age increased from 48.2 to 48.8 months, and the number of products more than five years old increased from 130 to 137. Here is the complete list of 386 ETFs and ETNs on ETF Deathwatch for January 2016 compiled using the objective ETF Deathwatch criteria . The 30 ETFs and ETNs added to ETF Deathwatch for January: Barclays OFI SteelPath MLP ETN (NYSEARCA: OSMS ) BLDRS Asia 50 ADR (NASDAQ: ADRA ) Direxion Daily MSCI Europe Currency-Hedged Bull 2x ( HEGE ) Direxion Daily MSCI Japan Currency-Hedged Bull 2x ( HEGJ ) ETRACS S&P 500 VEQTOR Switch Index ETN ( VQTS ) Global X JPMorgan US Sector Rotator (NYSEARCA: SCTO ) Global X Southeast Asia ETF (NYSEARCA: ASEA ) Guggenheim China Real Estate (NYSEARCA: TAO ) Guggenheim Wilshire Micro-Cap (NYSEARCA: WMCR ) Highland HFR Equity Hedge ETF ( OTC:HHDG ) Highland HFR Event-Driven ETF (NYSEARCA: DRVN ) Highland HFR Global ETF (NYSEARCA: HHFR ) IQ Global Agribusiness Small Cap (NYSEARCA: CROP ) iShares Convertible Bond ETF (BATS: ICVT ) iShares MSCI Intl Developed Size Factor (NYSEARCA: ISZE ) iShares MSCI Intl Developed Value Factor (NYSEARCA: IVLU ) Market Vectors Global Spin-Off ETF (NYSEARCA: SPUN ) PowerShares FTSE RAFI Asia Pacific ex-Japan (NYSEARCA: PAF ) ProShares Hedged FTSE Europe ETF ( HGEU ) ProShares Ultra Homebuilders & Supplies (NYSEARCA: HBU ) ProShares Ultra Oil & Gas Exploration & Production (NYSEARCA: UOP ) ProShares UltraShort Homebuilders & Supplies (NYSEARCA: HBZ ) ProShares UltraShort Oil & Gas Exploration & Production (NYSEARCA: SOP ) ProShares UltraShort Utilities (NYSEARCA: SDP ) SPDR S&P International Financial (NYSEARCA: IPF ) Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (NYSEARCA: TPYP ) TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash Flow ETF (NYSEARCA: FCFI ) ValueShares International Quantitative Value (BATS: IVAL ) WisdomTree International Hedged SmallCap Dividend ( HDLS ) WisdomTree Western Asset Unconstrained Bond (NASDAQ: UBND ) The 10 ETPs removed from ETF Deathwatch due to improved health: AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap (NASDAQ: SMCP ) Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted (NASDAQ: CFA ) Guggenheim MSCI Emerging Markets Equal Country Weight (NYSEARCA: EWEM ) iShares FactorSelect MSCI International (NYSEARCA: INTF ) iShares FactorSelect MSCI USA (NYSEARCA: LRGF ) iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Corporate (NYSEARCA: IBDO ) iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Corporate (NYSEARCA: IBDQ ) PowerShares DB Optimum Yield Diversified Commodity Strategy (NASDAQ: PDBC ) ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers (NYSEARCA: SMDV ) SPDR Barclays International High Yield Bond (NYSEARCA: IJNK ) The ETPs removed from ETF Deathwatch due to delisting: None ETF Deathwatch Archives Disclosure: Author has no positions in any of the securities mentioned and no positions in any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned. No income, revenue, or other compensation (either directly or indirectly) is received from, or on behalf of, any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.