Pass on this ETF

Article Excerpt

PROSHARES DECLINE OF THE RETAIL STORE ETF $34 (New York symbol EMTY; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $24 million) is designed to move in the opposite direction of its underlying index—specifically, the Solactive-ProShares Bricks and Mortar Retail Store Index. That means the ETF’s investors profit as share prices for 56 U.S. retail companies decline. They include American Eagle, Best Buy, Big Lots Inc., Costco Wholesale, Dollar Tree and Gap. Each generates at least 50% of its revenue from in-store retail sales. To meet its objective, the ETF holds inverse positions in all 56 companies. The fund was launched on November 16, 2017, and has just $24 million in assets. That provides limited liquidity, while the ETF’s active management approach makes for a relatively high MER of 0.89%. The fund launched at a time when a growing number of bricks-and-mortar retailers struggled to maintain or grow their market share against Amazon and other online sellers. High-profile bankruptcies and financial problems at Toys ‘R’ Us, The Limited, RadioShack…