|
ALPS ETF Trust added two new commodities-linked exchange-traded funds to its lineup on Tuesday, as it seeks to expand its footprint in equity-based commodity funds. The new funds are:
- Jefferies TR/J CRB Global Agriculture Equity Index Fund (NYSEArca: CRBA)
- Jefferies TR/J CRB Global Industrial Metals Equity Index Fund (NYSEArca: CRBI)
CRBA invests in companies that are directly involved with seed production, seed traits, chemicals and fertilizers, farm machinery, equipment and irrigation, agricultural products, livestock and aquaculture.
It will compete head-to-head with the Market Vectors - Agribusiness ETF (NYSEArca: MOO), a $1.6 billion ETF that also invests in agricultural names. Although both hold global portfolios of agricultural companies, the two differ significantly in their holdings.
|
CRBA Vs. MOO: Top 10 Components
|
|
CRBA
|
MOO
|
|
Deere
|
9.45%
|
Potash
|
8.53%
|
|
Potash
|
9.26%
|
Syngenta
|
7.90%
|
|
ADM
|
8.85%
|
Wilmar
|
7.83%
|
|
Syngenta
|
8.65%
|
Mosaic
|
7.41%
|
|
Monsanto
|
7.66%
|
Monsanto
|
7.06%
|
|
Uralkali
|
7.00%
|
Deere
|
4.91%
|
|
Mosaic
|
4.94%
|
ADM
|
4.57%
|
|
Agrium
|
4.91%
|
Yara International
|
3.92%
|
|
Bunge
|
4.59%
|
Kubota
|
3.88%
|
|
K&S
|
4.57%
|
Sociedad Quimica
|
3.86%
|
A third agricultural ETF, the PowerShares Global Agriculture ETF (NYSEArca: PAGG), has only $25 million in assets.
CRBI is more unique. The fund invests in a global portfolio of companies that produce and distribute base and/or industrial metals, such as aluminum, steel and uranium. It is the first global, broad-based mining ETF. Other mining ETFs either focus exclusively on precious metals (such as the $5.3 billion Van Eck Gold Miners (NYSEArca: GDX)) or only on U.S.-listed stocks (such as the SPDR S&P Metals & Mining (NYSEArca: XME)).
As with most theme-based ETFs, CRBA and CRBI use a "pure-play" screen to ensure that global conglomerates do not enter their portfolios. In this case, both funds require companies to derive at least 50 percent of their revenues from the production and distribution of the targeted commodities for inclusion. Companies must also have market capitalizations of at least $750 million.
Total annual expenses for CRBA and CRBI are pegged at 0.65 percent each.
ALPS' first equities-based commodities fund, the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies Global Commodity Equity Index Fund (NYSEArca: CRBQ), launched in September. It currently has $55 million in assets.
You can read the prospectus for the new funds here.
|
RSS