Goldman Sachs Hedge Industry VIP ETF

GVIP

Market cap $411M

The ETF market is more crowded than ever. With well over 4,000 U.S.-listed ETFs — more funds than U.S. stocks — differentiation has become its own strategy.

Passively managed GVIP offers exposure to hedge funds' key bets identified using 13F filings. 2025 has been a clear success for it, as it has outmaneuvered IVV and GURU. The most recent rebalancing improved its quality and growth characteristics as more IT names have qualified.

Nvidia's stock has been a favorite for some time, but two other semiconductor companies recently cracked Goldman's list of popular hedge-fund holdings.

GVIP is an index-based vehicle offering exposure to hedge fund darlings selected using 13F filings. With the strategy being alluring on the surface, GVIP's returns appear mixed, with timing issues resulting from the backward-looking methodology among possible culprits. Currently, with 49 equities in the portfolio, GVIP is positioned for offense and not defense, with large exposure to high-priced growth names. This is a risky proposition.

The Goldman Sachs Hedge Industry VIP ETF offers retail investors access to top hedge fund picks without high fees and liquidity issues. GVIP's portfolio includes diverse sectors like tech, finance, and industry, reflecting hedge fund managers' varied high-conviction ideas. With a low expense ratio of 0.45%, GVIP stands out among hedge fund strategy ETFs, providing cost-effective exposure to hedge fund-like strategies.

Goldman Sachs Hedge Industry VIP ETF (GVIP) replicates the top holdings of hedge fund managers. GVIP holds approximately 50 equal-weight positions. GVIP currently mimics a GARP strategy with high sentiment and growth at a reasonable price.

The Goldman Sachs Hedge Industry VIP ETF allows retail investors to gain exposure to hedge fund managers' top equity ideas. Hedge funds are required to disclose their positions quarterly through regulatory reporting, providing investors with insight into their holdings. GVIP has a history of robust performance, closely tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, but with larger drawdowns during sell-offs.

GVIP is a minimalist passively managed portfolio packed with hedge-fund favorites. GVIP has rather elevated turnover, a fluctuating factor mix that is impossible to even cautiously predict, performance nuances, and poor dividend characteristics. Even assuming GVIP has a compelling factor mix with a surprising GARP tilt, I would opt for a more neutral view on this vehicle.