Key Takeaways
- • iM Global Partner's DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF) achieved a 5-star Morningstar rating as of June 30, 2024, ranking in the top 10% of 67 funds in the Morningstar US ETF Systematic Trend category, coinciding with its fifth anniversary.
- • DBMF has grown to $1.1 billion in assets under management as of July 17, 2024, establishing itself as the largest Managed Futures ETF in the market with a 0.85% expense ratio.
- • The fund employs an index-plus replication approach using a multifactor model to replicate pre-fee returns of leading commodity trading advisor hedge funds, investing in approximately 10 highly-liquid futures contracts rebalanced weekly.
- • Since inception, DBMF has outperformed both the SG CTA Index and its Morningstar category peers on a risk-adjusted basis (Sharpe Ratio), demonstrating sustained alpha generation while delivering hedge fund-style diversification benefits at lower fees than traditional alternatives.
- • Andrew Beer, co-Portfolio Manager, positioned the 5-star rating as validation of DBMF's utility as a core alternatives allocation vehicle for advisors seeking differentiated portfolio outcomes.
Summary
iM Global Partner announced that its DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF) has earned an overall 5-star Morningstar rating as of June 30, 2024, placing it in the top 10% of 67 funds within the Morningstar US ETF Systematic Trend category. The recognition coincided with DBMF's fifth anniversary and reflects Morningstar's evaluation methodology, which assesses funds based on risk-adjusted returns relative to category peers. The rating underscores the fund's consistent outperformance trajectory since inception.
As of mid-July 2024, DBMF manages $1.1 billion in assets, making it the largest Managed Futures ETF by assets under management. The fund operates with a 0.85% expense ratio, positioning it competitively within the alternatives space where fee compression has accelerated across hedge fund replication strategies. DBMF's structural approach centers on an index-plus replication methodology that combines a sophisticated multifactor model to approximate the pre-fee returns of leading commodity trading advisor hedge funds. The fund maintains a focused portfolio of approximately 10 highly-liquid futures contracts, rebalanced on a weekly basis to maintain alignment with its target exposure profile.
Performance metrics demonstrate that DBMF has delivered superior risk-adjusted returns since inception when measured against both the SG CTA Index and its direct Morningstar category peers. The fund's Sharpe Ratio performance highlights its effectiveness in generating alpha while managing downside volatility—a critical consideration for institutional investors evaluating alternatives as a portfolio diversification tool. According to Andrew Beer, co-Portfolio Manager, the 5-star rating validates DBMF's positioning as a "must-have" allocation within clients' alternatives buckets, particularly for advisors seeking to differentiate portfolio construction and add measurable value. This recognition, combined with demonstrated alpha generation and the fund's scale advantage, reinforces DBMF's competitive standing among systematic trend-following strategies marketed to institutional and advisory clients.
As of mid-July 2024, DBMF manages $1.1 billion in assets, making it the largest Managed Futures ETF by assets under management. The fund operates with a 0.85% expense ratio, positioning it competitively within the alternatives space where fee compression has accelerated across hedge fund replication strategies. DBMF's structural approach centers on an index-plus replication methodology that combines a sophisticated multifactor model to approximate the pre-fee returns of leading commodity trading advisor hedge funds. The fund maintains a focused portfolio of approximately 10 highly-liquid futures contracts, rebalanced on a weekly basis to maintain alignment with its target exposure profile.
Performance metrics demonstrate that DBMF has delivered superior risk-adjusted returns since inception when measured against both the SG CTA Index and its direct Morningstar category peers. The fund's Sharpe Ratio performance highlights its effectiveness in generating alpha while managing downside volatility—a critical consideration for institutional investors evaluating alternatives as a portfolio diversification tool. According to Andrew Beer, co-Portfolio Manager, the 5-star rating validates DBMF's positioning as a "must-have" allocation within clients' alternatives buckets, particularly for advisors seeking to differentiate portfolio construction and add measurable value. This recognition, combined with demonstrated alpha generation and the fund's scale advantage, reinforces DBMF's competitive standing among systematic trend-following strategies marketed to institutional and advisory clients.
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