Fidelity Momentum Factor ETF

FDMO

Market cap $540M

The Fidelity Momentum Factor ETF has outperformed the S&P 500 recently, but much of its gains are concentrated in short bursts. I am downgrading FDMO to Hold, as high market valuations and the fund's momentum strategy increase downside risk in a potential correction. VOO offers a lower expense ratio, higher yield, and less volatility, making it a safer choice for broad market exposure at current valuations.

FDMO provides disciplined momentum exposure with a balanced sector allocation, favoring mega-cap tech leaders and maintaining volatility in line with the Russell 1000. The fund's growth profile and historical performance nearly match the benchmark, outperforming most momentum peers, though trading liquidity is moderate. FDMO trades at a premium valuation, reflecting its high-growth holdings, but offers strong risk-adjusted returns and resilience during downturns.

The Fidelity Momentum Factor ETF is recommended for its potential to capture market gains post-volatility, supported by historical VIX data indicating market rebounds. FDMO offers enhanced gains without the higher risks and fees of leveraged funds, benefiting from mid-cap stock inclusion and trading at a discount to NAV. The fund has a strong track record, low fees, and a four-star Morningstar rating, making it a compelling option for long-term investors.

Following on last week's top 10 list, this week's blog focuses on ETFs related to the stocks in the list. For this week, we then screened for ETFs that contained each stock that were also rated 5 (Strong Buy), focusing on the ETF that held the stock in the greatest percentage, then traveling down the lists of ETFs that held it until we found one rated 5. This resulted in a list of Strong Buy 5 rated ETFs that held at least one Strong Buy 5 rated stock as a major holding.

FDMO's momentum strategy can capture short-term gains but often underperforms during market trend reversals, leading to higher downside risks. The fund's high turnover ratio of 119% results in increased transaction costs, reducing long-term performance compared to the S&P 500. Despite strong returns in trending markets, FDMO's long-term returns have lagged behind the S&P 500 due to higher expenses and turnover.

The Fidelity Momentum Factor ETF focuses on large and mid-cap U.S. companies with strong momentum indicators, closely mirroring the Russell 1000 Index. FDMO's high exposure to mega caps has driven recent outperformance but may face challenges due to high valuations and if market leadership broadens to other sectors. Despite strong short-term gains, FDMO's five-year performance lags behind the Russell 1000 and peers, leading to a neutral stance on the fund.

FDMO is supposed to offer exposure to U.S. stocks exhibiting strong momentum characteristics. The index it tracks has a nuanced approach to constituent selection, with returns, volatility, EPS surprises, and short interest among the parameters assessed. Most FDMO's holdings have high beta, accompanied by robust growth characteristics. At the same time, there is close to nothing to criticize about their quality.

Vanguard offers factor-based ETFs that have shown outstanding performance compared to unmanaged, index-based comparison ETFs. Factor-based ETFs have now become mainstream investments, with a market share of over 20% globally. Assets under management for factor-based investments have grown significantly, leading many investors to include factor funds in their portfolios.

The debate around economic resilience and the direction of inflation and interest rates continues into summer. Fidelity offers an array of ETFs to reflect your portfolio's position on the path of interest rates looking ahead.

Fidelity Momentum Factor ETF (FDMO) implements a sector-neutral strategy based on price performance, earnings surprise and short interest. It is overweight in technology and large companies. FDMO track record is disappointing compared to another momentum ETF with a simpler methodology.