The beverage, personal care, and food industries are undervalued versus 11-year averages, while tobacco is deeply overvalued, and household products are near baseline. iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF offers global exposure with lower company-specific risk and better fundamentals than XLP but has lagged in historical returns. Five stocks are cheaper than their peers in June.
Fundamental metrics indicate that beverages are greatly undervalued, while food, household products, and personal care are undervalued by 10%–14% but vary in quality. The iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF has lagged XLP since inception, despite recent 12-month outperformance driven by international equities; both ETFs are highly concentrated in top holdings. Two stocks were cheaper than their peers in March.
Consumer staples stocks generate reliable income, hold up during downturns, and tend to raise dividends even when growth slows.
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The described company is a fund that primarily focuses on investing in the global consumer staples sector. It commits at least 80% of its assets to securities that are part of its underlying index. These investments are chosen because they share economic characteristics nearly identical to those of the composite securities found within the index it aims to replicate. The remaining assets, up to 20%, may be allocated to futures, options, swap contracts, cash, and cash equivalents. This strategic approach allows the fund to maintain flexibility while targeting the performance of global equities within the consumer staples arena, suggesting a conservative investment strategy focused on a sector known for its stability and potential for steady growth.
The fund offers investment opportunities through various products and services geared towards the consumer staples sector:
As the core of its portfolio, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index. These investments are focused on equities within the global consumer staples sector, which includes companies involved in the production and distribution of food, beverages, household goods, and tobacco. The selection is based on the economic characteristics that are substantially identical to those of the index component securities, aiming to mirror the index's performance.
Up to 20% of the fund's assets may be allocated to futures, options, and swap contracts. This segment of the portfolio is designed to provide additional leverage and hedging capabilities. By engaging in these derivative transactions, the fund can manage risk more effectively and potentially enhance returns on investment. This diversified approach allows it to navigate varying market conditions with a degree of flexibility.
The fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents to maintain liquidity and safeguard assets. This portion of the portfolio ensures that the fund can meet redemption requests promptly without significantly impacting its investment strategy. It also allows the fund to take advantage of new investment opportunities as they arise, ensuring that it can respond to market changes effectively.