Join Michael Batnick and Downtown Josh Brown as they chat with Todd Sohn, an ETF strategist, about small cap stocks, tech stock odds, semiconductors, thematic ETFs, Trump economics, and more. They dive into market trends, movements of money, trading behaviors, and insights on ETF launches and durability in the market. The conversation also covers Wall Street networking, entertainment trends, and a casual chat about Newport, Rhode Island and the movie True Lies.
Thematic ETFs face challenges due to oversaturation, leading to potential closures during market downturns.
Launching ETFs has become more accessible with offerings as low as $100,000, driving an increase in active and thematic products.
Active ETFs require around $200 million in assets for long-term profitability, emphasizing the significance of sustainable asset levels.
Deep dives
Thematic ETFs: A Supply and Demand Issue
Thematic ETFs face challenges with oversaturation as there are around 200 products with less than $50 million in assets. The supply of thematic ETFs exceeds demand, leading to profit challenges for issuers and potential closures during market downturns.
The Evolution of ETF Launches
The barriers to launching ETFs have significantly decreased, with companies now offering ETFs in a box for as low as $100,000 to $250,000. The ETF industry has seen an explosion in active funds and thematic products due to regulatory changes like exemptive relief.
Thematic ETF Profitability Threshold
A minimum of around $200 million in assets under management is considered a viable threshold for long-term profitability for active products. Profitability hinges on reaching this threshold, with fees and operating costs factored into the equation.
The Role of Active ETFs in the Market
With the market downturn risk, a shift towards core ETFs like VOO is expected to draw assets back during bear markets. Many thematic ETFs face closure risks during such downturns, emphasizing the importance of sustainable asset levels for long-term viability.
Marketing strategies and market performance
Performance is key in marketing to drive sales and success. Emphasizing performance over initial sizzle is crucial, with examples like crypto funds showing effective marketing strategies leading to positive flows. Despite challenging markets, such as during a bull market, successful marketing plays a vital role.
Market trends and economic factors
Discussion on market trends includes insights on euphoria levels impacting market corrections. The shift in sentiment driven by factors like bullishness indexes and rising extreme sentiments indicate potential market shifts. Considerations on economic policies, such as rate spreads and inflation, reflect volatile market conditions and potential impacts on various industries.
On episode 150 of The Compound and Friends, Michael Batnick and Downtown Josh Brown are joined by Todd Sohn, ETF and Technical Strategist at Strategas, to discuss: small cap stocks, the odds of tech stocks faltering, semiconductors, cash off the sidelines, thematic ETFs, Trump economics, and much more!
This episode is sponsored by STF Management. Learn more about the STF Tactical Growth and Income (TUGN) ETF at: https://stfm.com/etf/tugn/
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