SPHQ aims to provide exposure to S&P 500 firms with sound fundamentals. To get there, the fund focuses on three quality metrics: ROE (TTM EPS/book value) that measures profitability, lower accruals (change in net operating assets scaled by average of NOA over past 2 years) that could signal higher earnings quality, and financial leverage (debt/book value of equity) which is a measure of risk and earning stability. These metrics are equally weighted to produce a quality score. SPHQ takes only the top quintile and scale them based on the quality score. Single sector exposure is capped at 40%. Note: The fund switched to its current index on March 21, 2016. Prior to that, it tracked an S&P quality index that used different metrics but pulled from the same S&P 500 universe. The index is rebalanced semi-annually.
Need a custom stock scraper? Want to do some machine learning? We are here to help! Reach out to us!