Investing in a water ETF can be an easy way to gain exposure to the water industry with one fund. A typical water ETF invests in water utilities and companies involved in water purification, sewer and pipeline construction, and equipment.
The Benefits of Investing in Water ETFs
Here are the main benefits of investing in water ETFs:
Low expenses: Similar to index mutual funds, many ETFs are passively managed. This means that the expense ratios are low compared to actively managed funds. Professional management: You still get a professionally managed portfolio of water stocks. This is a benefit for you if you don’t want to do your own research and analysis. Diversification: Rather than investing in just a few water company stocks, water ETF shareholders can get access to dozens of stocks across many aspects of the water industry.
Potential Risks of Investing in Water ETFs
Investing in water carries a special kind of market risk. This is because it’s not a widely studied area of the market like large-cap U.S. stocks. Water stocks tend to be thinly traded. This can create market volatility. Changes in price can be more sensitive to smaller amounts of traders buying and selling the stocks. A lack of liquidity leads to a higher bid-ask spread, which is like a markup on your ETF purchases and sales. This added expense, coupled with volatility, increases a water ETF’s risk. Therefore, it’s key to learn as much as you can about the ETF you’re interested in. If you’re unfamiliar with the water industry and some of the problems it faces, the American Water Works Association releases a yearly State of the Water Industry Report, which sums up the sector and its future outlook. Reading the main points can help you decide whether it’s an industry you want to invest in.
The Best Water ETFs and Why We Chose Them
There are only a handful of water ETFs to invest in. You would be wise to home in on a few final choices before choosing which is best for your needs. Here are the main criteria we used to select the best water ETFs:
Assets under management (AUM): Since water ETFs are not widely traded, it’s important to look first at the funds that have the highest AUM.Performance history: It’s also important for an ETF to have at least a three-year track record with assets higher than average for the category. This provides a performance history to review. It also gives some assurance that the fund is relatively liquid. This is vital for getting the best pricing in the open market.Low expenses: If you compare two water ETFs that track the same benchmark, the one with the lowest expense ratio is often the best choice, because expenses reduce the net return for the ETF. Low expenses often translate to higher returns in the long run.
Based on those criteria, we chose the top water ETFs for 2022.
Invesco Water Resources ETF (PHO)
This water ETF tracks the NASDAQ OMX U.S. Water Index, which consists of 36 water stocks. Most are mid- to large-size U.S. equities. The companies represented in the fund create products designed to conserve and purify water for homes, businesses, and industries. Assets under management are $981.5 million, which makes PHO the largest water ETF on the market. Its expense ratio is 0.60%, or $60 for every $10,000 invested.
Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW)
On its surface, CGW looks similar to PHO. But this ETF from Invesco tracks the S&P Global Water Index, which consists of 50 water stocks. Most are companies from the utility, industrial, and information technology sectors. The regional allocation is split nearly evenly (51.74% to 48.26%) between the U.S. and non-U.S. stocks. Assets under management for CGW are $602.4 million, and its expense ratio is 0.57%, or $57 for every $10,000 invested.
First Trust ISE Water Index ETF (FIW)
This ETF from First Trust tracks the ISE Clean Edge Water Index, which is a modified market capitalization-weighted index of the top 34 listed companies working with the potable and wastewater industries. Assets under management for FIW are $482.8 million, and its expense ratio is 0.54%, or $54 for every $10,000 invested. The Balance does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is being presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.
