Should Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD) Be on Your Investing Radar?

The Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD) was launched on 02/23/2016, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.The fund is sponsored by Janus Henderson. It has amassed assets over $481.69 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.Why Small Cap GrowthSitting at a market capitalization below $2 billion, small cap companies tend to be high-potential stocks compared to its large and mid cap counterparts, but come with higher risk.Qualities of growth stocks include faster growth rates compared to the broader market, as well as higher valuations and higher than average sales and earnings growth rates. Something to keep in mind is the higher level of volatility that is affiliated with growth stocks. When you consider growth versus value, growth stocks are usually the clear winner in strong bull markets but tend to fall flat in nearly all other environments.CostsCost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.30%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.76%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Industrials sector--about 26.70% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Information Technology round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) accounts for about 3.36% of total assets, followed by Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NBIX) and Medpace Holdings Inc. (MEDP).The top 10 holdings account for about 20.2% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskJSMD seeks to match the performance of the Janus Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index before fees and expenses. The Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index selects small- and medium-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for smart growth by evaluating each company performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency.The ETF has lost about -0.14% so far this year and is up roughly 11.08% in the last one year (as of 05/13/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $62.52 and $82.80.The ETF has a beta of 1.10 and standard deviation of 23.12% for the trailing three-year period. With about 264 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesJanus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, JSMD is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Growth area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) and the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has $11.45 billion in assets, Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF has $18.21 billion. IWO has an expense ratio of 0.24% and VBK charges 0.07%.Bottom-LineRetail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD): ETF Research Reports Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO): Free Stock Analysis Report Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX): Free Stock Analysis Report iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO): ETF Research Reports Medpace Holdings, Inc. (MEDP): Free Stock Analysis Report Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks