2 Active U.S. Equity ETFs That Beat Their Benchmarks in 2023

The S&P 500 index is often hailed as the benchmark for U.S. equity performance, and for good reason. Over the long haul, it’s a tough competitor to beat, with the latest SPIVA report revealing that 92.2% of all U.S. large-cap funds fell short of outperforming it over the past 15 years. This underperformance is largely attributed to the significant drag of higher fees associated with active management.

However, when we zoom in on a shorter timeframe, the narrative begins to shift. Over just a one-year period, the percentage of funds lagging behind the S&P 500 drops to 60.1%. This change suggests that in certain market conditions, and over specific timeframes, expertly managed active funds can indeed outpace their benchmarks.

Last year was a bullish period for the markets, creating an environment where some actively managed U.S. equity ETFs were able to harness this momentum and surpass the performance of the S&P 500. Here’s a look at two standout domestic market ETFs that not only outperformed last year but also present compelling reasons for investors to keep an eye on in 2024.

Harbor Long-Term Growers ETF (WINN)

I think WINN exemplifies the “democratizing effect of ETFs,” making high-quality investment strategies accessible to a broader range of investors. Through its partnership with Jennison, WINN brings a flagship large-cap growth strategy to the retail market in an ETF format that is both highly liquid and tax-efficient.

With an expense ratio of just 0.57%, it offers a more cost-effective option than many comparable actively managed large-cap growth mutual funds. In 2023, WINN outperformed its benchmark, the Russell 1000 Growth Index, delivering a return of 52.42% compared to the benchmark’s 42.68%.

This success was achieved by concentrating on companies that possess strong sustainable competitive advantages and are positioned to capitalize on multi-year structural growth opportunities that the market has yet to fully appreciate.

WINN represents true active management, featuring 64 concentrated holdings that demonstrate a high active share. The ETF showcases impressive growth characteristics, including a 20.3% 3-year EPS growth and a 27.54% return on equity (ROE).

Many of WINN’s top holdings, such as Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:), Alphabet Inc-Class A (NASDAQ:), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:), Eli Lilly & Co (NYSE:), and Meta (NASDAQ:) Platforms Inc-Class A (META), are industry leaders with strong balance sheets, exceptional free cash flow, and are at the cutting edge of AI development.

Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV)

AVUV has quickly become a standout in the ETF landscape, earning high praise from investors for its combination of strong performance, competitive fees, and a disciplined approach to factor investing.

As Avantis’ flagship small-cap value ETF, AVUV offers an actively managed solution that targets the smaller segment of the market with a keen focus on value and profitability.

In 2023, AVUV notably outperformed its benchmark, the Value Index, by posting a return of 22.83% compared to the index’s 14.57%.

One of the most appealing aspects of AVUV is its cost-efficiency. With an expense ratio of just 0.25%, it rivals many of the older smart beta and index ETFs in terms of affordability. This low fee structure is particularly attractive given the active management that AVUV offers.

What truly distinguishes AVUV, however, is the Avantis approach to small-cap value investing. The ETF selects companies based on adjusted book-to-price ratios to identify value and adjusted cash from operations to book value ratios for assessing profitability. This methodical approach ensures that investments are not only undervalued but also demonstrate strong financial health.

Moreover, as an actively managed ETF, AVUV’s managers have the flexibility to sell stocks that no longer meet their criteria for being undervalued, rather than being constrained by the fixed schedule of an index reconstitution.

This content was originally published by our partners at ETF Central.