Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you’d like to stock your portfolio with some large-cap companies and you favor those that seem undervalued, the Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index ETF
The basics
ETFs often sport lower expense ratios than their mutual fund cousins. The Vanguard ETF's expense ratio -- its annual fee -- is a very low 0.16%. The fund is fairly small, too, so if you're thinking of buying, beware of occasionally large spreads between its bid and ask prices. Consider using a limit order if you want to buy in.
This ETF is too young to have enough of a track record to assess, though it did inch ahead of the S&P 500 over the past year. As with most investments, of course, we can't expect outstanding performances in every quarter or year. Investors with conviction need to wait for their holdings to deliver.
What's in it?
More than a handful of large-cap value stocks had strong performances over the past year. General Electric
ConocoPhillips
Cisco Systems
Procter & Gamble
The big picture
A well-chosen ETF can grant you instant diversification across any industry or group of companies -- and make investing in and profiting from it that much easier.
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