FYI: Envestnet has long had an ETF ranking system that analyzes passive ETFs and offers advisors guidance on which ones they see as best in class. The firm has now expanded that evaluation process to the smart-beta ETF space, boiling down a universe of about 800 ETFs into an initial list of 33 recommended funds from 10 different issuers. (The issuers included in the list are Alps, FlexShares, First Trust, iShares, PowerShares, Schwab, State Street, VanEck, Vanguard and WisdomTree.)
Regards,
Ted
http://www.etf.com/sections/features-and-news/how-one-firm-picks-smart-beta-etfs?nopaging=1