Category Archives: Launch Alert

Launch Alert: Tweedy, Browne International Insider + Value ETF

By David Snowball

On September 10, 2025, Tweedy, Browne Company LLC, launched the International Insider + Value ETF (ICPY). The ETF is both actively managed and fully transparent, which might engender some risk (for example, front-running by high-speed traders) but also simplifies the structure and reduces complexity.

The managers have the freedom to create an all-cap, all-world portfolio that can invest in developed and developing markets and, to a limited extent, in the US. The plan is simple Continue reading

Launch Alert: RACWI US ETF

By David Snowball

On September 12, 2025, Research Affiliates launched the RACWI US ETF, which will track its proprietary RACWI US Index. This is just RA’s second directly managed fund, following Research Affiliates Deletions ETF (NIXT), which launched in September 2024 and targets the stocks dropped from traditional large- to mid-cap indexes.

Research Affiliates, founded in 2002 by Rob Arnott, is a Newport Beach–based investment firm recognized for Continue reading

Launch Alert: The Militia Long Short ETF

By David Snowball

An Unusual Offering from an Unusual Manager

In January 2025, the Militia Long Short Equity ETF (ticker: ORR) launched. We’re profiling it because Sam Lee strongly recommended we look at it, and we trust Sam Lee. Founder of Austin-based SVRN Asset Management, former Morningstar strategist and editor of ETFInvestor newsletter and MFO contributor, Sam is very smart, has assessed a lot of managers, and has never invested in a hedge fund before. He describes Continue reading

Launch Alert: Franklin Multisector Income ETF

By David Snowball

On August 28, 2025, Franklin Templeton launched the Franklin Multisector Income ETF (MULT), an actively managed fund designed to pursue diversified income and long-term capital appreciation. The fund targets dynamic exposure across global fixed income markets while maintaining what the company calls “a disciplined risk management framework.”

The fund invests opportunistically across Continue reading

Launch Alert: Rainwater Equity ETF

By David Snowball

On June 17, 2025, Rainwater Equity launched its first fund called, well, Rainwater Equity ETF (RW). The fund pursues long-term capital appreciation by investing in a concentrated portfolio of businesses with recurring revenue and robust leadership. The fund targets dominant companies that generate predictable cash flows and foster customer loyalty. Businesses that might qualify are Continue reading

Launch Alert: Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders fund

By David Snowball

On June 18, 2025, Stewart Investors, an active, long-only global equity specialist with $16.5 billion in assets under management, launched the Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders fund (SWWLX) with an initial investment from a U.S. foundation. SWWLX is the firm’s first fund available to regular US investors.

Stewart is Edinburgh-based and describes themselves this way: “We are a small team of passionate investors managing, on behalf of our clients, investment portfolios with a focus Continue reading

Launch Alert: T Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Premium Income ETF

By David Snowball

On March 26, 2025, T Rowe Price launched T Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Premium Income ETF (TCAL), the latest addition to its capital appreciation suite of funds and ETFs. The fund is managed by a six-person team with David Giroux in the lead. It posts an expense ratio of 0.34%.

The fund’s unique niche within the Capital Appreciation suite is its focus on “regular” income payouts. It will normally invest in equities with a covered call options strategy overlay. The equities will be Continue reading

Launch Alert: GlacierShares Nasdaq Iceland ETF 

By David Snowball

On March 26, 2025, the GlacierShares Nasdaq Iceland ETF was launched. The ETF tracks the MarketVector Iceland Global Index. The Index tracks both Icelandic companies (54.5% of the index) and companies in other Nordic nations that have a substantial footprint in Iceland (13% Luxembourg, 11% Norway, 7% Switzerland … followed by the US and the Faroe Islands, about equally weighted).  Iceland’s economy is heavily dependent on just a handful of industries: energy production, tourism, fishing, and smelting aluminum. (Smelt and smelting?)

The market cap of Iceland’s two stock exchanges, the main exchange and the small/midcap exchange, comes to Continue reading

Launch Alert: AlphaCentric Real Income Fund

By David Snowball

On November 1, 2024, the former AlphaCentric Strategic Income Fund was rebranded as AlphaCentric Real Income Fund with a new sub-advisor, broader strategy, and new expense ratio to accompany its new name.

CrossingBridge Advisors will manage the investment strategy by employing a team approach.  Portfolio managers are T. Kirk Whitney, CFA, who joined the firm as an analyst in 2013, Spencer Rolfe, who first joined in 2017, and David Sherman, CIO. CrossingBridge, with over $3.2 billion in assets as of 8/31/24 was Continue reading

Launch Alert: Bridgeway Global Opportunities Fund

By David Snowball

On October 15, 2024, Bridgeway Capital launched Bridgeway Global Opportunities Fund (BRGOX), a long/short equity fund that will pursue long-term positive absolute returns while limiting exposure to general stock market risk. Using advanced quantitative modeling, the fund will hold 250-300 long positions and 250-300 short positions. The portfolio is designed with a bias toward quality, value, and sentiment. It will otherwise be neutral as to country, size, sector, and beta. That is, it will shoot for a beta of zero, a net China exposure of zero, and so on.

The fund will be managed by a Bridgeway team led by Co-Chief Investment Officer Jacob Pozharny, PhD.  He joined Continue reading