Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

VNLA

Market cap $3.32B

Janus Henderson's head of innovation Nick Cherney tells CNBC's Contessa Brewer the tokenization of ETFs is potentially the most transformative technology to hit financial services in decades and how the firm is getting ahead of the interest by launching products in the category. VanEck's product manager Nicholas Frasse joins the conversation.

Nick Cherney of Janus Henderson sits down with CNBC's Contessa Brewer on 'ETF Edge' to discuss the strategies investors can take to position their portfolios before the Fed decision this week and the interest in tokenization vs. taking the traditional ETF route.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF delivers a 5% yield from investment-grade short-term debt, focusing on financial sector issuers and maintaining low duration. The VNLA fund has outperformed 3-month Treasuries, achieving its objective of excess return with low volatility. VNLA is a reasonable choice for low-risk income, but investors may find more compelling options among active ETFs focused on low-risk debt.

At the end of April, Janus Henderson managed $31 billion in actively managed ETF assets. Approximately half of the money impressively flowed into these ETFs in the prior 12 months.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF's yield has decreased to 4.86% due to Fed rate cuts, offering only a 30 bps spread over effective Fed Funds. The fund's composition includes significant corporate bonds, with 54% in BBB credits, exposing it to credit risk unlike treasury funds. Investment-grade spreads are at historic lows, making the risk/reward proposition for VNLA unattractive compared to alternatives like AAA CLO ETFs.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF is a potential hedge against rising risks and volatility in stocks. The VNLA fund focuses on high-quality, shorter-dated credits to generate consistent returns and preserve capital. VNLA has a well-diversified portfolio with a strategic focus on stable sectors and has outperformed similar passive ETFs.

The Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF has performed well in 2023, with a 5.24% total return and minimal volatility. Investing in VNLA has outperformed investing in the S&P 500 since January 2022, with lower drawdowns and volatility. VNLA is expected to continue delivering high yields and outperforming the market, especially if the Fed cuts rates in mid-2024.