Archive – Popular funds

NNRG -Ninepoint Energy Fund

Ninepoint Partners is one of Canada’s leading alternative investment management firms overseeing approximately $8 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Ninepoint offers mutual funds and ETFs targeting various sectors. The Ninepoint Energy fund is offered in two versions: a Mutual fund and an ETF.

The NNRG ETF version was launched in May 2021. Both have the same stated objective.

Review of NNRG ETF: Ninepoint Energy Fund

Top Ten Holdings

please visit issuers’ website for up-to-date data

XEG – Ishares S&P TSX Capped Energy Index ETF XEG 

Funds objective: Seeks long-term capital growth by replicating the performance of the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index, net of expenses.

In terms of holdings, Canadian Natural Resources and Suncor Energy make up almost 50% of the holdings. This high exposure reduces the benefit of diversification that’s usually desired by investors when buying an ETF.

The management fee is 0.55%.

XEG Morning star review

Rating: 2 out of 5.

ZEO – BMO S&P TSX Eql Weight Oil Gas Index

The BMO Equal Weight Oil & Gas Index ETF (ZEO) has been designed to replicate, to the extent possible, the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Oil & Gas Index, net of expenses. In fact, the Fund invests in and holds the Constituent Securities of the Index in the same proportion as they are reflected in the Index.

ZEO Morning star review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

4-5) NXF CI First Asset Energy Giants ETF Unhedged and NXF-B CI First Asset Energy Giants Cov Call ETF

NXF is an actively managed ETF and it invests in the 15 largest energy companies listed in North American stock exchange. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide :

• quarterly cash distributions;
• capital appreciation by investing on an equal weight basis in a portfolio of equity securities of at least the 15 largest energy companies measured by market capitalization;
• lower volatility of returns;
• liquidity of the issuers’ equity securities and their related call options.

NXF is a currency hedged ETF. Whereas, NXF-B is not hedged against currency risk.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data – Best Growth ETF

COW -Ishares Global Agri Index ETF

The fund seeks exposure to companies involved in the production of agricultural products, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals, agricultural machinery, and packaged foods and meats.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data – Best Growth ETF

CIF Ishares Global Infrastructure Index ETF

CIF is an index ETF. It offers exposure to businesses involved in the the infrastructure sector. So, mainly stocks of companies offering transportation, water utilities, and electricity services

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

ZGI -BMO Global Infrastructure Index

BMO Global Infrastructure ETF (ZGI) is a passive index ETF. It invests in North American companies involved in the development, ownership, leasing, concession or management of infrastructure assets (minimum float-adjusted market capitalization of US$500 million)

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

XST -Ishares S&P TSX Capped Cons Stpl

XST is a passive ETF. It’s ideal for investors who would like to gain exposure to the Consumer Sataples sector. The fund replicates S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index.

XST Holdings

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

ZLU -BMO Low Volatility US Equity ETF CAD

The purpose of BMO’s Low Volatility US Equity ETF (ZLU) is to provide exposure to a low beta weighted portfolio of U.S. stocks. Beta is a measure of volatility.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

PRA -Purpose Diversified Real Asset Fund ETF

Invests in a diversified portfolio of commodities and equities linked to real assets, specially designed to protect against inflation.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

HMMJ-U – Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences  

HMMJ invests mainly in a basket of North American publicly listed life sciences companies with significant business activities in the marijuana industry. Their largest holdings are Aphria Inc and Canopy Growth Corp. This ETF is rebalanced on a quarterly basis to adapt to the ever changing nature of this industry.

HMMJ.U is a US $ denominated ETF.

AS AT MAY 28, 2021

HMMJ – Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences  

HMMJ invests mainly in a basket of North American publicly listed life sciences companies with significant business activities in the marijuana industry. Their largest holdings are Aphria Inc and Canopy Growth Corp. This ETF is rebalanced on a quarterly basis to adapt to the ever changing nature of this industry.

AS AT MAY 28, 2021

FSF – CI First Asset Global Financial Sector ETF

The Fund’s investment objectives are to seek long-term total returns consisting of long-term capital appreciation and regular dividend income from an actively managed portfolio composed primarily of securities of issuers in the global financial services sector across developed and emerging markets.

XIT – iShares S&P TSX Capped Info Tech

This  seeks exposure to the Canadian information technology companies. The index used is the S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology Index.

see below their top holdings

As of July 23rd

ZID – BMO India Equity Index

The BMO Indian Equity ETF provides exposure to the Indian market which is one of the most promising emerging markets. The fund acquires certificates (ADRs) from major Indian companies listed on the Toronto, London and New York stock exchanges (NYSE and NASDAQ).

ZID sector allocation – Top 3

45.20% Financial Services

20.62% Technology

14.39% Energy

ZID Holdings

VRE – Vanguard FTSE CDN Capped REIT Index ETF

VRE Seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Canada All Cap Real Estate Capped 25% Index (before fees and expenses). It provides exposure to Canadian large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks in the Real Estate industry.

Vanguard FTSE CDN Capped REIT Index ETF has the lowest MER among the ETFs selected for this post.

VRE ETF Holdings

As of August 31st 2021

Sector allocation

XRE – Ishares S&P TSX Capped REIT Index ETF

Seeks to provide long-term capital growth by replicating the performance of the S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index, net of expenses.

XRE ETF Holdings

as of Jun 17, 2021

Sector allocation

as of Jun 17, 2021

FXM – CI First Asset Morningstar Cda Value ETF

FXM seeks to replicate the performance of the Morningstar® Canada Target Value Index^TM

The index is managed by Morningstar a leading research firm. It’s comprised of equities of Canadian companies displaying low price to earnings, price to cash flow, price to book value, and price to sales ratios in comparison to their industries’ averages. Emphasis is also placed on stocks experiencing upward revisions of fiscal earnings estimates.

As of October 13th

ZWK -BMO Covered Call US Banks 

The BMO Covered Call U.S. Banks ETF (ZWK) is professionally managed by BMO Global Asset Management. The fund has been designed to provide exposure to a portfolio of U.S. banks while earning call option premiums.

The fund invests in 38 US Banks. It’s ideal for investors looking for dividend income. The dividend yield on November 24th was 6.19%!

The fact that the fund uses call options accomplishes two things:

• increases the dividend yield;
• reduces volatility but also growth potential. So, it’s something to keep in mind.

as of November 23rd 2021

HTA -Harvest Tech Achievers Growth & Income 

HTA is an ETF that invests in an equally weighted portfolio of 20 large-cap technology companies (globally). In order to generate an enhanced monthly distribution yield, an active covered call strategy is engaged.

Covered call strategies are great as they generate additional income for investors (in the form of premiums). The strategy is somewhat conservative and aims at preserving the capital invested primarily. On the other hand, the strategy limits potential growth.

As of November 30th 2021

ZBK – BMO Equal Weight US Bank

BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF has been designed to replicate, to the extent possible, the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight US Bank Index, net of expenses. The Fund invests in and holds the Constituent Securities of the Index in the same proportion as they are reflected in the Index.

This ETF is not hedged.

ZUB – BMO Eql Wgt US Bank Hdgd To CAD

The BMO Equal Weight US Banks Hedged to CAD Index ETF (ZUB) has been designed to replicate, to the extent possible, the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight US Bank Index Canadian Dollar Hedged, net of expenses. The Fund invests in and holds the Constituent Securities of the Index in the same proportion as they are reflected in the Index.

The U.S. dollar exposure is hedged back to Canadian dollars.

NGPE – Nbi Global Private Equity ETF

The NBI Global Private Equity ETF’s investment objective is to replicate the Morningstar® PitchBook Developed Markets Listed Private Equity Select Index (or any successor thereto). The purpose of this index is to generate long-term capital growth.

As of August 31st 2021

HCA – Hamilton Canadian Bank Mean Reversion 

HCA invests in the 6 largest Canadian banks. This fund differentiates itself by its investment strategy, called “Mean reversion”.

The strategy is applied as follows:

80% of the portfolio in the 3 banks that performed the least well among the 6 largest Canadian banks;
20% remaining in the 3 banks which outperformed.

HCA holdings

As of December 31st

CEW -Ishares Equal Weight Banc Lifeco

Tjis fund Invests in a portfolio of common shares of Canada’s largest banks and life insurance companies.

CEW Holdings

as of Feb 4th, 2022

RBNK – RBC CDN Bank Yield Index

RBC Canadian Bank Yield Index ETF seeks to replicate the Solactive Canada Bank Yield Index. The latter is focused only on the Canadian banking industry.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

ZEB – BMO S&P TSX Equal Weight Banks Index ETF

The BMO Equal Weight Banks ETF has been designed to replicate, to the extent possible, the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index, net of expenses. The index includes the major Canadian banks with a balanced allocation as you can see in the composition of the portfolio below.

Holding details

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

VDY – FTSE Canadian High Div Yield Indx

VDY is Canadian dividend ETF. It invests exclusively in the Canadian stock market. VDY’s objective is to replicate the performance of the FTSE Canada High Dividend Yield Index, which consists of Canadian stocks having a high dividend yield.

-Select companies part of the borad Canadian equity index also called FTSE Canada Index;
-Gather data on the 12 months forward dividend yield using I/B/E/S (Institutional Brokers’ Estimate System managed by Thomson Reuters)
-Exclude all stocks that pay or forecasted to pay in the next 12 months 0 regular dividend;
-Establish a ranking and screens periodically for liquidity.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

HCAL – Hamilton Canadian Bank 1.25X Lvrg

The fund invests in HCA — which is designed to closely track the returns of the Solactive Canadian Bank Mean Reversion Index TR, investing in Canadian banks — while adding 25% leverage provided by a Canadian financial institution.

HCAL offers exposure to Canada’s “Big Six” banks with 25% leverage. The fund does not use derivatives.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

HEWB – Horizons Eql Wght Can Banks Index

The Horizons Equal Weight Canada Banks Index ETF (“HEWB”) seeks to replicate the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index. The Index is an equal-weight index of equity securities of six Canadian banks.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

XMA -Ishares S&P TSX Capped Materials ETF

Aims for long-term growth and invests in Canadian materials companies.

March 2022

FCUV – Fidelity US Value Index ETF

FCUV is a fund that invests in US companies considered to be ‘undervalued’. The fund uses several financial ratios to determine if a company has an attractive valuation.

as of Feb 25th

XCV -Ishares Canadian Value Index ETF

This exchange-traded fund invests in large and medium-sized Canadian companies that are believed to be undervalued by the market relative to comparable companies.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

XBM – Ishares S&P TSX Global Base Mtls ETF

XBM Seeks to provide long-term capital growth by replicating the performance of the S&P/TSX Global Base Metals Index, net of expenses. The index is comprised of businesses involved in the production or extraction of base metals.

Please consult issuers’ website for up-to-date data

XST -Ishares S&P TSX Capped Cons Stpl

XST is a passive ETF. It’s ideal for investors who would like to gain exposure to the Consumer Sataples sector. The fund replicates S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index.

XST Holdings

HXE – Horizons S&P TSX Capped Energy Index

Horizons HXE is an index ETF that seeks to replicate the performance of the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index. The relative weight of any security constituting an index is capped to avoid being overweighted.

Despite the cap, this ETF remains dominated by Canadian Natural Resources and Suncor (almost 50% of the portfolio).

please visit issuers’ website for up-to-date data

QBTL -Agfiq US Mkt Neut A ntibeta CAD Hdg

This fund focuses on volatility as a mean of generating growth. The manager will hold US stocks with low volatility and short stocks with high volatility. The primary objectif is to potentially generate positive returns regardless of the direction of the general market.

DLR -Horizons US Dollar Currency ETF

For Canadian investors, the exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian currencies is crucial. As a result, a portfolio denominated in Canadian dollars typically loses real purchasing power when the value of the Canadian dollar drops. Investors have a rare chance to profit from the strengthening of the US dollar against the Canadian dollar through the Horizons US Dollar Currency ETF (DLR).

Key advantages

• The first currency ETF in Canada that uses the dollar. DLR enables investors to track the movement of the U.S. dollar relative to the Canadian dollar.
• Liquidity: the ability to convert DLR units into DLR.U and thereafter transact in U.S. dollars, effectively permitting a cheap conversion from U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars (and vice versa). Day-to-day transactions on the Toronto Stock Exchange

XHU -Ishares US High Div Equity Index ETF

XHU is an index ETF that replicates the performance of the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index, net of expenses.

Please note there is a Canadian hedge version which is XHD ETF.

Key features:

• This ETF invests in 75 US high dividend paying Stocks
• Ratio analysis is done to select the portfolio
• Monthly dividends