LSAF: LEADERSHARES(R) ALPHAFACTOR(R) US CORE EQUITY ETF
ETF Education Report: LEADERSHARES(R) ALPHAFACTOR(R) US CORE EQUITY ETF (LSAF)
What this ETF is trying to do
The LSAF ETF is an exchange-traded fund that focuses on US core equities. This means it holds a collection of stocks from companies based in the United States. Based on its top holdings, the fund includes various companies across different industries, such as RingCentral Inc Class A and Marathon Petroleum Corp.
What the numbers show
When looking at an ETF, it is important to understand two different types of returns: price return and total return.
• Price Return: This measures only how much the share price has changed.
• Total Return: This includes both the change in share price *and* any cash distributions (dividends) paid out to investors.
For LSAF, the numbers show growth over different time periods:
• Year-to-Date (YTD): The YTD price return is approximately 21.26%. The YTD total return is also approximately 21.26%.
• One Year: The one-year price return was approximately 24.01%, while the one-year total return was higher at approximately 24.85%.
• Three Years: The three-year price return was approximately 73.01%, and the three-year total return was approximately 76.42%.
To give you an idea of the price movement, the current price is $54.66. The estimated price from roughly one year ago was approximately $44.08.
Income and distribution explanation
Some investors look for ETFs that pay out cash, known as distributions. LSAF has a distribution yield of approximately 0.57%. This number describes the cash distributions relative to the ETF's price. It is important to remember that a distribution yield is not the same as total return. While distributions provide cash, they are separate from the growth of the share price itself. LSAF has an irregular distribution frequency, meaning it does not pay out on a set schedule.
NAV erosion explanation
"NAV erosion" is a term used to describe when the value of the underlying assets in a fund decreases significantly. Investors often watch for this because they want to know if their initial investment is being preserved. For LSAF, the erosion-risk score is 100, and the label indicates "No price erosion detected." There is no severe erosion-risk flag for this ETF.
Pros
• The fund has shown positive price returns over the one-year and three-year periods.
• The total return is higher than the price return, meaning distributions have added value to the overall performance.
• The erosion-risk measurement is rated as "good."
Cons
• The distribution yield is relatively low at 0.57%.
• Distributions are described as "irregular," so they do not happen on a predictable schedule.
Beginner takeaway
LSAF is an ETF that has experienced share-price growth over the last year and three years. When studying this fund, remember to look at both the price return (the change in share cost) and the total return (which includes cash payments). Always keep in mind that while distributions provide cash, they are different from the overall growth of your investment.
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*Note: This report is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It does not recommend buying, selling, or holding this ETF.*
Top Holdings
Structured portfolio holdings supplied by the ETF data provider. These figures are not generated by the AI article.
| # | Holding | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RINGCENTRAL INC CLASS A | RNG | 1.87% |
| 2 | MARATHON PETROLEUM CORP | MPC | 1.47% |
| 3 | VALERO ENERGY CORP | VLO | 1.42% |
| 4 | n/a | ZBRA | 1.39% |
| 5 | IQVIA HOLDINGS INC | IQV | 1.35% |
| 6 | n/a | CRL | 1.26% |
| 7 | n/a | DELL | 1.24% |
| 8 | n/a | COIN | 1.24% |
| 9 | DROPBOX INC CLASS A | DBX | 1.20% |
| 10 | GAP INC | GAP | 1.20% |