The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF is rated a buy, driven by real regulatory progress and potential further catalysts. Rescheduling of medical cannabis to Schedule III reduces tax burdens, improving cash flows and the cost of capital for MSOS holdings. Upcoming DEA hearings on adult-use rescheduling and earnings reports could deliver upside surprises and further margin expansion.
Owning individual U.S. cannabis operators means wrestling with OTC-listed tickers, thin liquidity, and a patchwork of state licenses that most brokerage screeners barely index.
Recent news of marijuana's reclassification is just the first step of many, according to Dan Ahrens of AdvisorShares. Dan talks about the catalysts he sees this summer and the upside he expects to see in marijuana-tied stocks.
AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF remains a Strong Sell due to extreme concentration in three names and excessive volatility. Potential cannabis rescheduling could eliminate 280E taxation, boosting net income for operators, but risks remain if the process stalls or fails. MSOS trades at a 7.5x 2026 EV/adj. EBITDA, but this metric understates risk by excluding large tax liabilities, especially for CURLF and TCNNF.
I am upgrading the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF to a buy rating due to imminent regulatory catalysts. Potential cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III would eliminate 280e taxes, materially boosting MSO profitability and enabling re-ratings. MSOS offers concentrated exposure to leading U.S. multi-state operators, trading at attractive mid-single-digit EBITDA multiples.
I reiterate a Buy rating on AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF, emphasizing its compelling risk-return profile despite recent volatility. MSOS trades at 1.7x sales, below its historical average of 2x, offering a 17.6% upside to a $4.45 target if multiples revert. Regulatory progress is slow but ongoing; reclassification appears a matter of 'when,' not 'if,' with catalysts tied to legislative and credit access developments.
The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF offers concentrated, actively managed exposure to the US cannabis industry via equities and swaps. MSOS is top-heavy, with 97% of net assets in its top 10 positions. Holdings are largely allocated to micro- and small-cap companies. Event-driven returns hinge on federal legalization momentum, particularly the potential passage of the MORE Act.
Thematic ETFs have a long and storied history in the ETF ecosystem, offering investors ways to make sector bets, for example, or, craft a bespoke allocation with individual building blocks.
Cannabis stocks and ETFs like Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF and AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF are surging on speculation that President Trump will reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. Rescheduling would reduce regulatory and banking risks, potentially unlocking new capital and investor interest, but both ETFs carry high fees and concentration risks. MJ is preferred over MSOS for its greater diversification, though both face challenges from high expense ratios and reliance on swaps.
MSOS has significantly underperformed the broader cannabis market, dropping 41.2% YTD versus a 27.8% sector decline. I downgraded MSOS to Strong Sell in April due to persistent risks, and the ETF has continued to fall since then. Key concerns include poor chart performance, plunging trading volume, high portfolio concentration, and waning investor interest in multi-state operators.
MSOS holds US cannabis MSOs exclusively. It allows for exposure to US cannabis companies. US MSO stocks are historically down.
Cannabis legalization is inevitable, driven by shifting political, generational, and fiscal dynamics, especially as Republicans seek votes and tax revenue. Despite high risks, the upside for cannabis ETFs like MJ and MSOS is compelling, making them suitable for risk capital allocations. Demographic trends and bipartisan support suggest federal decriminalization is only a matter of time, further boosting the industry's long-term prospects.