Amundi ETF announces the launch of the first ETF in Europe leveraging the theme of European share buybacks, by tracking the MSCI Europe Equal Weighted Buyback Yield strategy index. The launch represents another innovative expansion of Amundi ETF’s European equity Smart Beta range.
The ETF is designed for investors seeking to capture yield from the European equity market via a return-oriented Smart Beta approach, by providing exposure to companies performing share buybacks, a method of distributing income to shareholders which is likely to grow in Europe.
Share buyback programs allow cash-rich companies to repurchase their own stocks. Already widely used in the US, they should become more popular for European companies as they represent a more efficient use of cash in a low rate environment and give companies more flexibility than dividend programs. Moreover, buyback programs are compelling for investors as they can provide higher returns in a low rate environment.
The MSCI Europe Equal Weighted Buyback Yield strategy index reflects the performance of MSCI Europe securities that have performed buybacks in the previous 12 months . Moreover, this strategy index applies an equal weight methodology, thus increasing diversification and providing a purer exposure to the share buyback theme with a reduced bias.
Amundi ETF is launching this new product in response to client demand, following the launch of its US buyback ETF earlier this year, which prompted interest in a European version based on the same theme. The ETF has a TER of 0,30% and will be made available in Paris and subsequently the major European exchanges.
Valerie Baudson, CEO at Amundi ETF, Indexing and Smart Beta, said: “This innovative ETF adds to our broad mono and multi Smart Beta range and reinforces the positioning of Amundi as a leading innovative player in the European ETF market.”
For Funds Society, Madrid
For Alicia Miguel Serrano