The S&P 500 allocates more than a third of its weight to tech stocks, or more than the weight commanded by the next three sectors combined. Fortunately, many small-cap indexes and the related ETFs are more sector-diverse. Even better news: products like the NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF (IWMI) offer both superior diversification and enhanced income.
Investors may want to consider IWMI in the near term, provided economic data improves and the conflict in Iran is soon resolved.
“Investing in US companies with a small market capitalisation can provide distinct benefits over exposure to large and mid-caps: small caps are often at the forefront of innovation and in early stages of the growth cycle. Traditionally, small-cap companies are also more exposed to the shape of the domestic economy: They typically operate in local markets rather than international ones,” noted BNP Paribas.
IWMI: Income & Balance
The actively managed IWMI carries a distribution rate of 14.38%. Alone, that’s impressive and a potential point of attraction for many income-hungry investors. However, investors should not diminish the balance that small-cap exposure offers.
“U.S. small-cap indices tend to have a more balanced allocation to business sectors. Thus, the exposure to the technology sector, where we have seen a growing concentration of large and mega-cap companies in recent years, is much more limited,” BNP Paribas added.
Similar to other NEOS covered call ETFs, IWMI can present investors some upside participation, should the tracked index grind higher. In this case, it’s the Russell 2000. This is a point to consider because there are reasons to be bullish on small-cap domestic stocks. According to some experts, weaning macroeconomic headwinds is among such reasons.
Those issues “have now given way to hopes over the prospects of deregulation, still lower interest rates, and tax cut extensions. This setup should benefit small and medium-sized companies, as should investment incentives, businesses reshoring, more lending by banks, and lower barriers to mergers and acquisitions,” concluded BNP Paribas.
IWMI turns two years old in June. It carries an annual expense ratio of 0.68%, or $68 on a $10,000 stake.
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