The iShares Global Comm Services ETF (IXP) is an investment vehicle that holds a range of global companies in media, social media, entertainment, search, video gaming and telecommunications industries, explains Jim Woods, exchange-traded fund specialist and editor of The Deep Woods.
The exchange-traded fund’s holdings include companies at a variety of market-cap levels, though larger companies tend to be the targets of the lion’s share of its assets. Each of these industries is a mover and shaker, with some routinely seeing new developments on the leading edge of the cultural milieu.
IXP has struggled in the past 12 months, which may present interested investors with an appealing entry opportunity. In that period, the fund is down 28.23%, noticeably worse returns than those offered by the broader market. That means these are beaten-down stocks and sectors that could post strong gains if they were to return to their year-ago levels.
IXP’s 2023 performance has been nicely positive, causing it to nearly reach its 200-day moving average (MA), as the chart below shows. IXP last touched its 200-day MA in late 2021.
Before then, the ETF was performing impressively, nearly doubling between April 2020 and September 2021. A return to that form would be accretive for investors.
The expense ratio of this fund currently sits at 0.40%. Its current dividend yield is 1.43%. The ETF’s net assets total $209.9 million, which makes the fund relatively small, but still popular enough to consider investing in it.
Plus, 63.43% of the fund’s assets are in U.S.-based companies. The remainder offer global exposure primarily to China and Japan, along with a smattering of others. Top holdings of IXP include Alphabet (GOOGL), 20.14%; Meta Platforms (META), 9.05%; Tencent Holdings Ltd., 8.58%; The Walt Disney Company (DIS), 5.42%; and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), 4.72%.
It is important to note that with shares of Google — with its two different share classes combining to make up 20% of assets — the performance of that company has a large impact on this fund’s price.
Investors curious about global companies involved in media, social media, entertainment, search, video gaming and telecommunications industries may wish to consider iShares Global Comm Services ETF as a potential portfolio enhancer.
