The Best ETF Auto for Q3 2021

 CARZ is the best (and only) auto ETF Automotive exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide exposure to the performance of companies within the gl...

 CARZ is the best (and only) auto ETF

Automotive exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide exposure to the performance of companies within the global automobile industry. The auto industry includes companies that manufacture cars, trucks, vans, and commercial vehicles. It also includes companies that supply automobile parts. Well-known names in the industry include Tesla Inc. (TSLA), now the world's largest automaker by market value, and also Ford Motor Co. (F), Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), and General Motors Co. (GM). Auto ETFs are comprised of a basket of automobile equities, enabling investors to profit from the broader growth of the auto industry while avoiding the idiosyncratic risk associated with a single company.

There is only one distinct auto ETF that trades in the U.S. and which has been in existence long enough to have a 1-year trailing total return. There is a second ETF in this area, the Simplify Volt Pop Culture Disruption ETF (VCAR), which opened in December 2020.1 However, this ETF has not been in existence long enough to be judged according to Investopedia's metrics, and it has very low assets under management (AUM) as of this writing, meaning that it is a risky investment.2 The best-performing (and only) auto ETF is the First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ). CARZ's 1-year trailing total return is about double that of the S&P 500's total return as of April 30, 2021.3 We examine this fund below. All statistics in the list below are as of May 3.

First Trust NASDAQ Global Auto Index Fund (CARZ)

Performance over 1-Year: 101.0%

Expense Ratio: 0.70%

Annual Dividend Yield: 0.58%

3-Month Average Daily Volume: 23,447

Assets Under Management: $68.9 million

Inception Date: May 9, 2011

Issuer: First Trust

CARZ tracks the Nasdaq OMX Global Auto Index, a modified market-capitalization weighted index that gauges the performance of the largest and most liquid automobile manufacturers. Companies in the index must have a minimum worldwide market capitalization of $500 million. The ETF provides exposure to large-cap equities in the global auto industry. Given its narrow focus on the highly cyclical auto industry, CARZ is likely to have less appeal within a buy-and-hold investment strategy. But it may be useful for providing tactical exposure to the auto industry over the short term. The fund follows a value-centric strategy, focusing on what are known as value stocks, which are stocks that look relatively cheap compared to the rest of the sector. Below is a closer look at the ETF's 10 largest holdings.