Weekly Channel Summary
The Specialty Equity channel, comprising 83 ETFs from 54 issuers, holds a total of $26.15 billion in assets under management. Investors continued to allocate capital to the space, adding $174 million in net new assets over the past week. This recent activity contributes to a strong year-to-date inflow of $10.65 billion and a total of $11.70 billion over the last twelve months.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Both categories within the Specialty Equity channel posted gains for the week, with Long/Short funds leading the way with an average return of 0.47%. Hedged strategies followed with a more modest gain of 0.14%. This weekly result is consistent with longer-term trends, as the Long/Short category maintains a significant performance advantage year-to-date, returning 13.23% compared to 8.63% for Hedged funds.
Category Performance Snapshot
| Category | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 0.47% | 0.70% | 2.03% | 9.44% | 13.23% | 17.13% |
| Hedged | 0.14% | -0.19% | 1.95% | 7.39% | 8.63% | 13.59% |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance
The NEOS Long/Short Equity Income ETF (NLSI) was the standout performer this week, delivering a 2.57% gain. Several other funds also saw positive returns, including the Man Active Emerging Markets Alternative ETF (MEMA) which rose 1.74%. On the other end of the spectrum, the ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF (CLIX) experienced the largest decline, falling 3.96% for the week.
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | ||
| NLSI | NEOS Long/Short Equity Income ETF | 2.57% |
| MEMA | Man Active Emerging Markets Alternative ETF | 1.74% |
| EXPN | Horizon Expansion Leaders ETF | 1.39% |
| VAMO | Cambria Value & Momentum ETF | 1.24% |
| EHLS | Even Herd Long Short ETF | 1.03% |
| Bottom Performers | ||
| CLIX | ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF | -3.96% |
| PCR | Simplify VettaFi Private Credit Strategy ETF | -2.07% |
| LSEQ | Harbor Long-Short Equity ETF | -1.70% |
| HFSP | TradersAI Large Cap Equity & Cash ETF | -1.58% |
| BTAL | AGF U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund | -1.47% |
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
Investors directed a net total of $174 million into Specialty Equity ETFs over the past week, continuing a strong year of asset gathering. The Long/Short category captured the majority of these new assets, pulling in $116 million. The Hedged category also saw positive interest, attracting the remaining $57 million in net inflows for the week.
Category Flows Summary
| Category | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 30 | $13.22B | $116M | $844M | $3,985M | $8,755M | $9,005M |
| Hedged | 53 | $12.93B | $57M | $285M | $1,385M | $1,890M | $2,694M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The iShares Systematic Alternatives Active ETF (IALT) was the clear favorite among investors, attracting $72 million in new capital, which accounted for over 40% of the channel’s total weekly inflow. The iShares Flexible Equity Active ETF (BFLX) also saw meaningful demand, adding $29 million. Outflows were minimal across the channel, with the Goldman Sachs MSCI World Private Equity Return Tracker ETF (GTPE) and the Soundwatch Hedged Equity ETF (SHDG) seeing the largest redemptions at just $6 million each.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| IALT | iShares Systematic Alternatives Active ETF | $72M |
| BFLX | iShares Flexible Equity Active ETF | $29M |
| HELO | JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF | $19M |
| FTLS | First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | $11M |
| FHEQ | Fidelity Hedged Equity ETF | $9M |
| Outflows | ||
| GTPE | Goldman Sachs MSCI World Private Equity Return Tracker ETF | -$6M |
| SHDG | Soundwatch Hedged Equity ETF | -$6M |
| HEFT | Hedgeye Fourth Turning ETF | -$2M |
| SHRT | Gotham Short Strategies ETF | -$1M |
| HELS | Hedgeye 130/30 Equity ETF | -$0M |
Issuer League Table Update
iShares maintains its dominant position in the Specialty Equity space, commanding a 29.75% market share with $7.78 billion in assets. JPMorgan holds the second-largest share at 19.53% with $5.11 billion under management. This week, iShares also led all issuers in asset gathering, pulling in $101 million in net new money, while Goldman Sachs and SoundWatch Capital saw the largest, albeit modest, outflows of $6 million each.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Brand | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| iShares | 2 | $7.78B | 29.75% |
| JPMorgan | 4 | $5.11B | 19.53% |
| First Trust | 1 | $2.54B | 9.71% |
| Fidelity | 2 | $1.00B | 3.83% |
| Convergence | 1 | $903M | 3.45% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Brand | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| iShares | $101M |
| JPMorgan | $19M |
| First Trust | $11M |
| Outflows | |
| Goldman Sachs | -$6M |
| SoundWatch Capital | -$6M |
| Hedgeye | -$2M |
For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth EQ: Specialty ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.
Disclosures
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.
This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.
