Moat Index: How Equal Weighting Boosts Excess Returns
September 23, 2024
Read Time 2 MIN
Powered by Morningstar’s forward-looking equity research, the Morningstar® Wide Moat Focus Index (“Moat Index”) comprises quality companies with sustainable competitive advantages that are trading at attractive valuations. The competitive advantages of these companies form moats that are expected to help companies fend off competition and maintain profitability into the future.
Morningstar has identified five sources of moat, including switching costs, intangible assets, network effect, cost advantage, and efficient scale. Its equity research team conducts a moat and valuation screen to determine the index constituents, and then an equal-weighting scheme is applied. This Morningstar report focuses on the equal weighting approach and explores how it has contributed to the Moat Index’s long-term risk-adjusted returns.
Key Takeaways:
- Historical Outperformance: Since inception in 2007, the Moat Index’s equal weighting strategy has delivered higher returns in 11 of 18 years compared to its market cap-weighted counterpart.
- Improved Risk-Adjusted Returns: The equal-weighted strategy has contributed to a stronger risk-adjusted performance over time, achieving a higher Sharpe ratio than market cap-weighted indexes.
- Diversification Potential: Equal weighting reduces reliance on any single large-cap stock, providing significant diversification benefits in a broader strategic asset allocation.
- Short-Term Challenges: The recent dominance of mega-cap stocks like the Magnificent 7, particularly in 2023-2024, has posed challenges for the equal-weighted strategy, as being underweight these stocks lead to underperformance compared to market cap-weighted benchmarks.
- Long-Term Strength: The equal weighting approach enables each holding to significantly impact index returns, avoiding dependence on a few heavily weighted stocks, a dynamic that has helped drive excess returns historically.
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IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned are unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the author(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.
Fair value estimate: The Morningstar analyst’s estimate of what a stock is worth.
Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index consists of U.S. companies identified as having sustainable, competitive advantages and whose stocks are the most attractively priced, according to Morningstar. Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index consists of international companies identified as having sustainable, competitive advantages and whose stocks are attractively priced.
The Morningstar® Wide Moat Focus IndexSM was created and is maintained by Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar, Inc. does not sponsor, endorse, issue, sell, or promote the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and bears no liability with respect to that ETF or any security. Morningstar® is a registered trademark of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar® Wide Moat Focus IndexSM is a service mark of Morningstar, Inc.
Any indices listed are unmanaged indices and include the reinvestment of all dividends, but do not reflect the payment of transaction costs, advisory fees or expenses that are associated with an investment in a fund. An index’s performance is not illustrative of a fund’s performance. Indices are not securities in which investments can be made.
The principal risks of investing in VanEck ETFs and mutual funds include sector, market, economic, political, foreign currency, world event, index tracking, active management, social media analytics, derivatives, blockchain, commodities and non-diversification risks, as well as fluctuations in net asset value and the risks associated with investing in less developed capital markets. VanEck ETFs may also be subject to authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount risk and liquidity of fund shares risks. VanEck ETFs or mutual funds may loan their securities, which may subject them to additional credit and counterparty risk. ETFs or mutual funds that invest in high-yield securities are subject to subject to risks associated with investing in high-yield securities; which include a greater risk of loss of income and principal than funds holding higher-rated securities; concentration risk; credit risk; hedging risk; interest rate risk; and short sale risk. ETFs or mutual funds that invest in companies with small capitalizations are subject to elevated risks, which include, among others, greater volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger companies. Please see the prospectus of each Fund for more complete information regarding each Fund’s specific risks.
Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investor should consider a Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus for VanEck Funds and VanEck ETFs, which contain this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus for VanEck Funds and VanEck ETFs carefully before investing.
© Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation.
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IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned are unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the author(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.
Fair value estimate: The Morningstar analyst’s estimate of what a stock is worth.
Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index consists of U.S. companies identified as having sustainable, competitive advantages and whose stocks are the most attractively priced, according to Morningstar. Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index consists of international companies identified as having sustainable, competitive advantages and whose stocks are attractively priced.
The Morningstar® Wide Moat Focus IndexSM was created and is maintained by Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar, Inc. does not sponsor, endorse, issue, sell, or promote the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and bears no liability with respect to that ETF or any security. Morningstar® is a registered trademark of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar® Wide Moat Focus IndexSM is a service mark of Morningstar, Inc.
Any indices listed are unmanaged indices and include the reinvestment of all dividends, but do not reflect the payment of transaction costs, advisory fees or expenses that are associated with an investment in a fund. An index’s performance is not illustrative of a fund’s performance. Indices are not securities in which investments can be made.
The principal risks of investing in VanEck ETFs and mutual funds include sector, market, economic, political, foreign currency, world event, index tracking, active management, social media analytics, derivatives, blockchain, commodities and non-diversification risks, as well as fluctuations in net asset value and the risks associated with investing in less developed capital markets. VanEck ETFs may also be subject to authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount risk and liquidity of fund shares risks. VanEck ETFs or mutual funds may loan their securities, which may subject them to additional credit and counterparty risk. ETFs or mutual funds that invest in high-yield securities are subject to subject to risks associated with investing in high-yield securities; which include a greater risk of loss of income and principal than funds holding higher-rated securities; concentration risk; credit risk; hedging risk; interest rate risk; and short sale risk. ETFs or mutual funds that invest in companies with small capitalizations are subject to elevated risks, which include, among others, greater volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger companies. Please see the prospectus of each Fund for more complete information regarding each Fund’s specific risks.
Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investor should consider a Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus for VanEck Funds and VanEck ETFs, which contain this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus for VanEck Funds and VanEck ETFs carefully before investing.
© Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation.