AdvisorShares Launches Actively Managed Small-Cap ETF

AdvisorShares, one of the largest issuers of actively managed exchange-traded funds, added to its lineup Thursday with the debut of the AdvisorShares Cornerstone Small Cap ETF (NYSE: SCAP). The new ETF is managed by Cornerstone Investment Partners.

Welcoming SCAP

SCAP can hold U.S.-traded equity securities, including common and preferred stock, ADRs, and publicly-traded REITs, according to AdvisorShares.

As of July 1, there were $26.5 billion in combined assets under management across 147 actively managed ETFs, according to AdvisorShares data. However, the bulk of those assets are allocated to fixed income funds as short-term bond and global bond funds combine $15.1 billion of active ETF assets under management.

SCAP could be advantageous to investors looking to avoid some of the cash-strapped companies with poor fundamentals that are often found throughout the small-cap universe.

Analyst's Perspective

Citi analyst Scott Chronert believes he has identified a post-Brexit safe haven stock play that is far from typical: small caps. According to Chronert, Citi is predicting a correlation to develop between the U.S. dollar and small cap stocks. Despite the Brexit fallout, the firm maintains its 1200 year-end price target for the Russell 2000, Benzinga reported last week.

Small cap exposure can help diversify an equity portfolio by providing access to companies that are growing at a faster rate than large cap companies. Small cap equities also have had the tendency to make major turns in their respective cycles at different times which can help reduce volatility. Additionally, small cap company businesses tend to be more domestic oriented which insulates them from changes in currency market trends, according to AdvisorShares.

SCAP charges 0.9 percent per year, or $90 per $10,000 invested.