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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Fund Allocations (Cumulative), 04/30/23
    Fund Allocations (Cumulative), 04/30/23
    There were tiny increases in stock allocations. The changes for OEFs + ETFs were based on a total AUM of about $30.29 trillion in the previous month, so +/- 1% change was about +/- $302.9 billion. Also note that these changes were from both fund inflows/outflows & price changes. #Funds #OEFs #ETFs #ICI
    OEFs & ETFs: Stocks 57.99%, Hybrids 5.10%, Bonds 19.71%, M-Mkt 17.20%
    https://ybbpersonalfinance.proboards.com/post/1049/thread
  • What happened to CCOR?
    If I had to guess (which really is all that I am doing) I'd say that it is a combination of not owning enough of the top 5-8 market moving momentum equities + the downdraft being experienced by dividend paying stocks + their derivative strategy(ies) are not positioned correctly for the current market sentiment whatever that is.
    That's probably not really helpful but when I looked at the fact sheet for the fund I can't tell what index they are tracking unless it's one they came up with in-house and their derivative strategy is listed merely as proprietary.
  • Vanguard US Growth & Growth and Income - Subadvisor Change
    Yogibearbull largely has the subadvisor model correct here. If Vanguard hires a single subadvisor for, say, 0.50%, and that subadvisor has its own branded funds that it charges 1% for, what is the motivation for investors to buy any of the subadvisor's higher-cost branded funds? A single sub-advisor Vanguard fund runs the risk of cannibalizing that sub-advisor's external business. But a multi-advisor fund will be different and therefore there is less risk of cannibalization. Vanguard can play the subs off against each other on cost. Wellington and Primecap are interesting exceptions, but then Primecap only opened its branded funds when Vanguard closed its Primecap subadvised ones to new investors, so there was less risk of cannibalization. Meanwhile, Wellington has been with Vanguard since its founding, and the relationship there is a unique and enduring one. Wellington originally fired John Bogle, motivating him to found Vanguard.
  • Vanguard US Growth & Growth and Income - Subadvisor Change
    A fund's board is responsible for hiring the fund's advisor(s). It may be a distinction without a difference, but at Harbor, a board hires the fund's advisor, which in turn hires the subadvisors. In contrast, at Vanguard a board hires multiple advisors directly. There are no subs.
    Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. (“Harbor Capital” or the “Advisor”) is the investment adviser to Harbor Funds. ...
    The Advisor may manage funds directly or employ a “manager-of-managers” approach in selecting and overseeing investment subadvisers (each, a “Subadvisor”). The Advisor makes day-to-day investment decisions with respect to each fund that it directly manages. In the case of subadvised funds, the Advisor evaluates and allocates each Harbor fund’s assets to one or more Subadvisors. For Harbor funds that employ one or more discretionary subadvisors, the Subadvisors are responsible for the day-to-day management of the assets of the Harbor funds allocated to them.
    Harbor Prospectus
    For funds that are advised by independent third-party advisory firms unaffiliated with Vanguard, the board of trustees of each fund hires investment advisory firms, not individual portfolio managers, ...
    ... the [third-party] advisor manages the investment and reinvestment of the portion of the fund’s assets that the fund’s board of trustees determines to assign to the advisor. In this capacity, each advisor continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the fund’s investment program for its portion of the fund’s assets. ... Each advisor discharges its responsibilities subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department and the officers and trustees of the fund. Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department is responsible for recommending changes in a fund’s advisory arrangements to the fund’s board of trustees, including changes in the amount of assets allocated to each advisor and recommendations to hire, terminate, or replace an advisor.
    Vanguard® World Fund SAI (including U.S. Growth and some other funds)
  • These were the 15 biggest active funds 10 years ago. Where are they now?
    Interesting the many American Funds significantly increased their AUM over the decade. (I've held several of them in moderately-large positions since 2005)
  • Vanguard US Growth & Growth and Income - Subadvisor Change
    The Vanguard Quantitative Equity Group will still manage (partially or entirely) 5 active funds.
    Link
    I agree with @Sven that sometimes there are "too many cooks in the kitchen."
    Vanguard had 10 active funds with 3 or more subadvisors as of 03/31/2023.
    Link
    Excluding Vanguard (Fixed Income Group and Quantitative Equity Group),
    these are the only firms which manage 100% of any active Vanguard funds:
    Wellington Management, Primecap Management, Baillie Gifford Overseas,
    and Ninety One North America (newer ESG fund).
  • The Case For International Diversification
    Good comparison. Someone posted here that DIVI, Franklin International Core Dividend Tilt Index, which also has a comparable 5 year performance record with respect to annual returns, drawdown and Martin ratio (obtained from MFO Premium).
  • The Case For International Diversification
    @BenWP,
    IHDG has performed well since inception.
    I used Portfolio Visualizer and compared IHDG to three other international funds.
    The WisdomTree fund had the highest return, lowest volatility,
    and lowest max. drawdown for the period from June 2014 - April 2023.
    Link
  • Vanguard International Core Stock - Kenneth Abrams retirement
    "Effective immediately, Anna Lundén has been added as a co-portfolio manager of Vanguard International Core Stock Fund (the Fund). Additionally, Kenneth L. Abrams will retire from Wellington Management Company LLP
    on or about June 30, 2024, at which time he will no longer serve as a co-portfolio manager of the Fund.
    F. Halsey Morris will continue to co-manage the Fund."

    "The Fund’s investment objective, strategies, and policies remain unchanged."
    Link
  • Vanguard US Growth & Growth and Income - Subadvisor Change
    "Vanguard has dropped its quantitative equity team as a subadvisor on the $34.4bn Vanguard US Growth fund and $11.5bn Vanguard Growth and Income fund."
    "On the US Growth fund, no new subadvisor has been added alongside Baillie Gifford, Jennison Associates
    and Wellington Management Company, but the latter firm will now run more of the fund’s assets
    as a result of Vanguard removing itself."

    "Wellington has also been added as a subadvisor on the Growth and Income fund, joining existing subadvisors D.E. Shaw Investment Management and Los Angeles Capital Management."
    Link
  • These were the 15 biggest active funds 10 years ago. Where are they now?
    "The S&P 500 has posted an annualized 12.2% return through April, a figure that includes last year’s 18.11% selloff, while the Agg returned an annualized 1.32% for the period, again, including 2022’s 13.01% swoon."
    "Many an active manager has struggled to match these returns and investors have voted with their wallets, pulling trillions of dollars out of active funds and pouring them into passively run funds and ETFs. From 2013 through 2022, active mutual funds and ETFs had outflows of $1.5tn, while passive vehicles took in $5.1tn."
    Hopefully, the article linked below is accessible without a CityWire account...
    Link
  • BlackRock Total Factor Fund to be liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/844779/000119312523155494/d496198d497.htm
    497 1 d496198d497.htm BLACKROCK TOTAL FACTOR FUND
    BLACKROCK FUNDSSM
    BlackRock Total Factor Fund
    Supplement dated May 26, 2023 to the
    Summary Prospectuses, Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information of the Fund,
    each dated November 28, 2022
    On May 23, 2023, the Board of Trustees of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), on behalf of its series, BlackRock Total Factor Fund (the “Fund”), approved a proposal to close the Fund to new and subsequent investments and thereafter to liquidate the Fund. Accordingly, effective 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on September 22, 2023, the Fund will no longer accept orders from new investors or existing shareholders to purchase Fund shares. On or about September 29, 2023 (the “Liquidation Date”), all of the assets of the Fund will have been liquidated completely, the shares of any shareholders holding shares on the Liquidation Date will be redeemed at the net asset value per share and the Fund will then be terminated as a series of the Trust. Shareholders may redeem their Fund shares or exchange their shares into shares of another mutual fund advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC or its affiliates at any time prior to the Liquidation Date. In preparation for the liquidation, the Fund may deviate from its investment objective and principal investment strategies.
    Shareholders should consult their personal tax advisers concerning their tax situation and the impact of the liquidation and/or exchanging to a different fund on their tax situation.
    Shareholders should retain this Supplement for future reference.
    PR2SAI-TFF-0523SUP
  • BlackRock U.S. Impact and International Impact Funds to be liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/844779/000119312523155496/d511521d497.htm
    97 1 d511521d497.htm BLACKROCK U.S. IMPACT & INTERNATIONAL IMPACT FUNDS
    BLACKROCK FUNDSSM
    BlackRock U.S. Impact Fund
    BlackRock International Impact Fund
    Supplement dated May 26, 2023 to the Summary Prospectuses,
    Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information of the Funds,
    each dated August 26, 2022
    On May 23, 2023, the Board of Trustees of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), on behalf of its series, BlackRock U.S. Impact Fund and BlackRock International Impact Fund (each, a “Fund”), approved a proposal to close each Fund to new and subsequent investments and thereafter to liquidate each Fund. Accordingly, effective 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on August 24, 2023, the Funds will no longer accept orders from new investors or existing shareholders to purchase Fund shares. On or about August 31, 2023 (the “Liquidation Date”), all of the assets of each Fund will have been liquidated completely, the shares of any shareholders holding shares on the Liquidation Date will be redeemed at the net asset value per share and each Fund will then be terminated as a series of the Trust. Shareholders may redeem their Fund shares or exchange their shares into shares of another mutual fund advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC or its affiliates at any time prior to the Liquidation Date. In preparation for the liquidation, a Fund may deviate from its investment objective and principal investment strategies.
    Shareholders should consult their personal tax advisers concerning their tax situation and the impact of the liquidation and/or exchanging to a different fund on their tax situation.
    Shareholders should retain this Supplement for future reference.
    PR2SAI-IMPF-0523SUP
  • UVA Dividend Value ETF will be liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1484018/000148401823000029/r497e0523.htm
    497 1 r497e0523.htm UVA DIVIDEND VALUE ETF
    SPINNAKER ETF SERIES
    UVA Dividend Value ETF
    Supplement dated May 26, 2023
    to the Summary Prospectus, Prospectus, and Statement of Additional Information
    each dated November 1, 2022, as amended
    The information in this Supplement should be read in conjunction with the Summary Prospectus, Prospectus, and Statement of Additional Information for the UVA Dividend Value ETF.
    NOTICE OF LIQUIDATION OF THE UVA DIVIDEND VALUE ETF. The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the UVA Dividend Value ETF (the “Fund”) approved the liquidation and dissolution of the Fund on or about June 26, 2023 (the “Liquidation Date”). In connection with the liquidation and dissolution, the Fund may depart from its stated investment objective as it increases its cash holdings in preparation for liquidation. On the Liquidation Date (for settlement the date after the Liquidation Date), the Fund shall distribute pro rata to its shareholders of record all of the assets of the Fund in complete cancellation and redemption of all of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest, cash, bank deposits or cash equivalents in an estimated amount necessary to (i) discharge any unpaid liabilities and obligations of the Fund on the Fund’s books on the Liquidation Date, including but not limited to, income dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, payable through the Liquidation Date, and (ii) pay such contingent liabilities as the officers of the Fund deem appropriate subject to ratification by the Board. Capital gain distributions, if any, may be paid on or prior to the Liquidation Date.
    After the close of business on June 20, 2023, the Fund will no longer accept creation orders or redemption orders. This is also expected to be the last day of trading of shares of on the Fund on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”). Shareholders should be aware that as of and after the close of business on June 20, 2023, the Fund will no longer pursue its stated investment objective or engage in any business activities except for the purpose of selling and converting into cash all of the assets of the Fund, paying its liabilities and distributing its remaining proceeds or assets to shareholders (the “Liquidating Distribution”). During the time between market close on June 20, 2023 and the Liquidation Date, shareholders will be unable to dispose of their shares on NYSE Arca.
    Shareholders may sell their holdings of the Fund, incurring typical transaction fees from their broker-dealer, on NYSE Arca until market close on June 20, 2023, at which point the Fund’s shares will no longer trade on NYSE Arca and the shares will be subsequently delisted. Shareholders who continue to hold shares of the Fund on the Liquidation Date will receive a Liquidating Distribution (if any) with a value equal to their proportionate ownership interest in the Fund on that date. Such Liquidating Distribution received by a shareholder, if any, may be in an amount that is greater or less than the amount a shareholder might receive if they dispose of their shares on NYSE Arca prior to the market close on June 20, 2023. The Fund’s liquidation and payment of a Liquidating Distribution may occur prior to or later than the dates listed above.
    Shareholders who receive a Liquidating Distribution generally will recognize a capital gain or loss equal to the amount received for their shares over their adjusted basis in such shares. Please consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences.
    For further information, please contact the Fund toll-free at 1-800-773-3863. You may obtain copies of the Prospectus, Summary Prospectus, and Statement of Additional Information, free of charge, by writing to the Fund at Post Office Box 4365, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803 or calling the Fund toll-free at the number above.
    Investors Should Retain This Supplement for Future Reference
  • ETFs being liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1587982/000139834423010827/fp0083662-1_497.htm
    497 1 fp0083662-1_497.htm
    AXS 2X NKE Bear Daily ETF
    Ticker: NKEQ
    AXS 2X NKE Bull Daily ETF
    Ticker: NKEL
    AXS 2X PFE Bear Daily ETF
    Ticker: PFES
    AXS 2X PFE Bull Daily ETF
    Ticker: PFEL
    AXS 1.5X PYPL Bear Daily ETF
    Ticker: PYPS
    AXS Short China Internet ETF
    Ticker: SWEB
    AXS Short De-SPAC Daily ETF
    Ticker: SOGU
    Each a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”)
    Supplement dated May 26, 2023 to each currently effective
    Prospectus, Summary Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
    The Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved a Plan of Liquidation for each of the AXS 2X NKE Bear Daily ETF, AXS 2X NKE Bull Daily ETF, AXS 2X PFE Bear Daily ETF, AXS 2X PFE Bull Daily ETF, AXS 1.5X PYPL Bear Daily ETF, AXS Short China Internet ETF, and AXS Short De-SPAC Daily ETF, (each a “Fund”). Each Plan of Liquidation authorizes the termination, liquidation and dissolution of the respective Fund.
    Each Fund will create and redeem creation units through June 16, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), which will also be the last day of trading on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, each Fund’s principal U.S. listing exchange. On or about June 26, 2023 (the “Liquidation Date”), each Fund will cease operations, liquidate its assets, and prepare to distribute proceeds to shareholders of record as of the Liquidation Date. Shareholders of record on the Liquidation Date will receive cash at the net asset value of their shares as of such date. While Fund shareholders remaining on the Liquidation Date will not incur transaction fees, any liquidation proceeds paid to a shareholder should generally be treated as received in exchange for shares and will therefore generally give rise to a capital gain or loss depending on the shareholder’s tax basis. Shareholders (including but not limited to shareholders holding shares through tax-deferred accounts) should contact their tax advisers to discuss the income tax consequences of the liquidation. Under certain circumstances, liquidation proceeds may be subject to withholding taxes.
    In anticipation of the liquidation of each Fund, AXS Investments LLC, the Funds’ advisor, may manage each Fund in a manner intended to facilitate its orderly liquidation, such as by raising cash or making investments in other highly liquid assets. As a result, during this time, all or a portion of each Fund may not be invested in a manner consistent with its stated investment strategies, which may prevent each Fund from achieving its investment objective. Shareholders of each Fund may sell their holdings on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC on or prior to the Closing Date. Customary brokerage charges may apply to such transactions. After the Closing Date, we cannot assure you that there will be a market for your shares.
    Please contact the Funds at 1-303-623-2577 if you have any questions or need assistance.
    Please file this Supplement with your records.
  • Sam Zell, RIP
    Barron's has a tribute to late Sam ZELL by Oscar SCHAFER, Rivulet Capital (2012- ). Sam passed away at 81 on 5/18/23. He was fun loving, fiercely independent, generous, loyal, courageous, and a mentor. In investing, he liked distressed situations and complex structures; he could take control of bad businesses, restructure and grow them and then sell them. He didn’t take himself too seriously, dressed nonconformally, sometimes even writing email poems during business negotiations. (He was a real estate tycoon and was a tough business negotiator – he was called “the grave-dancer” for good reasons) He threw big parties and could talk dirty too. He loved motorcycles (because they were fun, fast, dangerous) and had annual bike tours with friends who called themselves Zell’s Angels.
    Schafer provides the personal side in Barron’s Op-Ed. More formal information can be found on the Wiki.
    https://www.barrons.com/articles/sam-zell-markets-real-estate-life-lessons-8b6fa7d6?mod=past_editions
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Zell