In a landmark move that echoes the larger currents of change sweeping the investment industry, Fidelity, the financial behemoth, is set to translate a sizable portion of its mutual funds assets—$13.2 billion to be precise—into Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
This shift, slated for November this year, signals a visionary approach from Fidelity, one that could redefine the investment landscape while providing compelling benefits to its investors.
Redefining the investment landscape
The six funds in question, all actively managed, currently include the $5.2 billion Large Cap Value Enhanced Index, $2.3 billion Large Cap Growth Enhanced Index, $1.8 billion Large Cap Core Enhanced Index, $1.7 billion Mid Cap Enhanced Index, $1.6 billion International Enhanced Index, and $532 million Small Cap Enhanced Index funds.
All of these are to be reimagined as equivalently named ETFs. It’s essential to note that the transition will occur without affecting the funds’ investment processes or the management teams responsible for them.
In essence, Fidelity is maintaining its tried and tested strategies while embracing a fresh, more efficient format.
What makes this move intriguing is the multifaceted advantages Fidelity anticipates from this transformation. These include additional trading flexibility, heightened portfolio holdings transparency, reduced expenses, and a potential enhancement in tax efficiency.
As Greg Friedman, Fidelity’s head of ETF management and strategy, emphasized, Fidelity continues to explore ways to enrich its ETF portfolio.
Indeed, Fidelity’s funds employ sophisticated quantitative models to assess stock attractiveness and manage risk—a strategy that aligns well with the ETF model.
Impact on the market and future prospects
In the investment world, the devil is in the details—and the details here suggest a mixed bag for Fidelity’s funds. Data from Morningstar Direct reveals that three funds—the Large Cap Value Enhanced Index, Mid Cap Enhanced Index, and Small Cap Enhanced Index—experienced outflows over the year ending May 31.
The Large Cap Value Enhanced Index fund saw the most significant exodus, with investors pulling out $780 million in those 12 months. Conversely, the Large Cap Growth Enhanced Index, Large Cap Core Enhanced Index, and International Enhanced Index funds drew substantial net inflows.
This move by Fidelity is not without precedent. Since March 2021, about 49 mutual funds have made the transition to ETFs. These transformed ETFs have collectively attracted $10.5 billion in net inflows post-conversion.
Interestingly, the majority of these flows were directed toward four newly created ETFs by Dimensional Fund Advisors. Fidelity’s move might thus herald a broader shift in investment strategies.
Still, some firms like Janus Henderson and Capital Group seem to be bucking the trend, with executives expressing their intentions to stick with mutual funds.
But as Fidelity’s $2.29 trillion suite of 366 mutual funds face net outflows of $26.1 billion, and its $34.7 billion suite of 52 ETFs pulls in $1.3 billion, the pivot towards ETFs may well be the smart move.
Ultimately, Fidelity’s monumental switch from mutual funds to ETFs underscores a forward-thinking approach that could potentially shape the future of investment.
While this road is yet largely uncharted, Fidelity’s leap could propel the firm and its investors into an era of increased flexibility, transparency, and efficiency.
