These Are the Top Ten Consumer Defensive Funds

May
10, 2021

5 min read

This story originally appeared on ValueWalk

When the overall economy isn’t doing well, one sector that usually performs better than average is Consumer Staples or Consumer Defensive. This sector primarily includes companies dealing with household goods, food, beverages, hygiene products and other items. Basically, these are the products that are hard to eliminate from a budget even in times of financial trouble. So, investing in them is a relatively safer option, and one can invest in these stocks through mutual funds and ETFs. Detailed below are the top ten Consumer Defensive funds.

Q1 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more

Top ten Consumer Defensive funds

We have based our ranking of the top ten Consumer Defensive funds on their past one-year return data. We have considered ETFs as well, and have referred to U.S. News for the return data. Following are the top ten Consumer Defensive funds:

10. iShares Evolved US Consumer Staples ETF (IECS, 33%)

IECS normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the U.S. listed small, mid and large-cap consumer staples companies. IECS has a YTD return of 7.08%. It has $14.83 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.18%. Its top three holdings are Coca-Cola, PepsiCo. and Procter & Gamble.

9. Rydex Consumer Products Fund (RYPDX, 36%)

RYPDX usually invests in equity securities of U.S.-traded Consumer Products Companies, as well as in derivatives. RYPDX has given a return of 8.81% over the past three years, and 6.44% over the past five years. It has $109.74 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 1.72%. Its top three holdings are Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

8. Fidelity® Select Consumer Staples Port (FDAGX, 38%)

FDAGX normally invests a minimum of 80% of its assets in companies that manufacture, sell or distribute consumer staples. FDAGX has given a return of 10.42% over the past three years, and 6.77% over the past five years. It has $1.46 billion in assets, while its net expense ratio is 1.04%. Its top three holdings are Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

7. First Trust Cnsmr Staples AlphaDEX® ETF (FXG, 40%)

FXG tries to match the price and yield performance of the StrataQuant® Consumer Staples Index. This fund normally invests at least 90% of its assets in the common stocks that are part of the index. FXG has a YTD return of 16.09%. It has $295.61 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.63%. Its top three holdings are Bunge, CVS Health and Nu Skin Enterprises.

6. Invesco Dynamic Food & Beverage ETF (PBJ, 42%)

PBJ tracks the investment results of the Dynamic Food & Beverage IntellidexSM Index, which includes U.S. food and beverage companies. The fund normally invests at least 90% of its assets in the securities included in the underlying index. PBJ has a YTD return of 17.01%. It has $86.30 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.63%. Its top three holdings are Keurig Dr Pepper, Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International.

5. First Trust Nasdaq Food & Beverage ETF (FTXG, 47%)

FTXG makes an effort to match the price and yield performance of the Nasdaq US Smart Food & Beverage Index. It usually invests a minimum of 90% of its assets in the common stocks and depository receipts of companies’ part of the underlying index. FTXG has a YTD return of 13.97%. It has $6.63 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.60%. Its top three holdings are J.M. Smucker, General Mills and Bunge.

4. Invesco DWA Consumer Staples Mom ETF (PSL, 55%)

PSL tries to match the investment performance of the Dorsey Wright® Consumer Staples Technical Leaders Index. It invests a minimum of 90% of its assets in the securities included in the underlying index. PSL has a YTD return of 9.19%. It has $111.68 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.60%. Its top three holdings are Coty Inc, Monster Beverage and McCormick & Co.

3. iShares US Consumer Goods ETF (IYK, 58%)

IYK tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Index, and invests at least 90% of its assets in the securities that are part of this index. IYK has a YTD return of 5.27%. It has $691.74 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.43%. Its top three holdings are Tesla, Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola.

2. Invesco S&P SmallCap Consumer Stapl ETF (PSCC, 59%)

PSCC tracks the investment performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Capped Consumer Staples Index. It normally invests at least 90% of its assets in the securities part of the underlying index. PSCC has a YTD return of 18.71%. It has $46.39 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 0.29%. Its top three holdings are WD-40, Medifast and Simply Good Foods.

1. Rowe Price Global Consumer Fund (PGLOX, 59%)

PGLOX normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the companies operating in the consumer sector. Also, it usually invests a minimum of 40% of its assets in the companies located outside the U.S. PGLOX has given a 15.39% return over the past three years. It has $108.11 million in assets, while its net expense ratio is 1.05%. Its top three holdings are Amazon, Alibaba and The Home Depot.