CWS: Seemingly Solid Premise, But Soft Returns, A Hold

CWS is an actively managed ETF with a strategy guided by the buy-and-hold philosophy. Despite having relatively strong quality and a value tilt, CWS has trailed the S&P 500 since my February article, chiefly due to the appalling performance of FI, MLR, and ADBE. Compared to IVV, CWS' portfolio is better valued and has a lower beta. But IVV is meaningfully ahead on quality and growth.

Seeking Alpha • Aug 12, 2025

CWS: A Quality ETF Trading At A Premium

CWS offers a concentrated, high-quality mid- and large-cap portfolio with a strong tilt toward technology, healthcare, and industrials, but trades at a premium valuation. The fund's historical returns are only slightly ahead of the benchmark and lag top-performing peers, despite strong profitability and moderate risk metrics. CWS faces notable drawbacks, including high expense ratio and wide bid-ask spreads, making it less attractive versus lower-cost, more efficient alternatives.

Seeking Alpha • May 26, 2025

Best ETFs Provider AdvisorShares Finds Opportunity In Offbeat Spots

Geopolitical tensions are high and the economy's outlook is uncertain — presenting investors even with the best ETFs with challenges.

Investors Business Daily • May 8, 2025

CWS: Returns Disappoint Despite High-Quality Portfolio, A Hold

CWS is an actively managed vehicle with a high-conviction, quality-centered strategy at its crux. CWS has 25 equities in the portfolio, with most of the net assets allocated to industrials. Since April 2024, its growth and quality characteristics have improved. CWS has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 since my April 2024 article. Since inception, its returns have also been mostly unconvincing.

Seeking Alpha • Feb 22, 2025

CWS: A Solid Active Fund

The AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF (CWS) actively manages a concentrated portfolio of high-growth, strong-fundamental companies, aiming to outperform the S&P 500. Key holdings include Fair Isaac Corporation, Fiserv, Miller Industries, HEICO Corporation, and Amphenol, emphasizing industrials and financials over tech-heavy growth ETFs. The fund's concentrated approach can lead to significant performance swings but offers potential for high returns, balancing tech-heavy portfolios.

Seeking Alpha • Nov 18, 2024

CWS: The Strategy Still Lags The Market

CWS is an actively managed investment vehicle based on the Crossing Wall Street "Buy List." Despite five stocks out of 25 replaced earlier this year, CWS' portfolio still comprises expensive, high-quality companies with just average growth characteristics. While I am constructive on CWS, its past performance is hardly persuasive, as the ETF has been chronically lagging IVV since inception, with rare bright spots.

Seeking Alpha • Apr 17, 2024

CWS: Can Crossing Wall Street's Founder Guide You To 130% Gains Over SPY?

From 2006-2023, The Crossing Wall Street's "Buy List" beat the S&P 500 Index by 130%. In 2016, CWS launched, allowing investors the chance to benefit from the simple 25-stock ETF. But there are two catches. The first is how much CWS's 0.84% expense ratio diminishes returns. The second is how most of this outperformance was isolated to a single year. It's reasonable to question whether Eddy Elfenbein, Crossing Wall Street's founder, can generate alpha moving forward. Since the ETF's launch, it's lagged SPY by 0.73% per year.

Seeking Alpha • Jan 30, 2024

Why Now For U.S. Equity Income?

US equities, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, have performed strongly so far in 2023.

Seeking Alpha • Dec 11, 2023

CWS: I Am Still Unimpressed By This Active Strategy

CWS offers a unique, concentrated take on U.S.-listed equities; the strategy is essentially a variant of the buy-and-hold philosophy. CWS has a solid assemblage of high-quality stocks, sporting an adequate earnings yield; growth exposure is acceptable but hardly spectacular. CWS has underperformed the S&P 500 since the previous note, with MLR solidly contributing to its return and SCL significantly detracting from it.

Seeking Alpha • Aug 22, 2023

CWS: An Active ETF That Flies Under The Radar, But Shouldn't

CWS is a small, largely-ignored active ETF that should get more attention. So I'm writing about it. Active ETFs are still emerging. What I like about this one is its focused, 25-stock portfolio and risk-management approach.

Seeking Alpha • May 10, 2023