Small-Cap Tech ETF Merits Consideration

Large-cap technology ETFs such as the Technology Select Sector SPDR XLK and the Vanguard Information Technology ETF VGT are popular with investors for a variety of reasons. Both are cheap with annual expense ratios of 0.18 percent and 0.14 percent, respectively.

Both funds are home to some of the most widely followed and held tech stocks such as Apple AAPL, Microsoft MSFT and Google GOOG.

Investors would do well, maybe even better, to consider a small-cap technology ETF to augment their large-cap exposure. The PowerShares S&P SmallCap Information Technology Portfolio PSCT is the fund to consider.

"Small-cap ETFs saw inflows of $5 billion in July, while the broader information-technology sector took in $1.2 billion of new money," said S&P Capital IQ in a new research note, citing BlackRock data.

PSCT has been garnering some of those inflows. Since the fund was spotlighted on July 11, investors have poured nearly $25 million into the ETF, bringing its current assets under management tally to $177.5 million.

S&P Capital IQ, which rates PSCT Marketweight, said the ETF is "well-positioned based on our holdings analysis, and incurs relatively modest costs," while adding "PSCT is well-diversified at the holdings and industry level. The ETF offers exposure to 128 small-cap tech stocks."

Related: Will This Time Be Different? Apple Back To Dominating Tech ETFs.

PSCT holdings include Advanced Energy AEIS ATMI ATMI, Microsemi MSCC, MKS Instruments MKSI and TriQuint Semiconductor TQNT, all of which earn four-star ratings from S&P Capital IQ. Those stocks combine for nearly six percent of the ETF's weight.

S&P Capital IQ also has five-star ratings on Q-Logic QLGC and Take-Two Interactive Software TTWO. Those stocks combine for 2.4 percent of the ETF's weight.

"Small caps, in general, have been on a tear this year, outperforming their larger peers. The broader S&P SmallCap 600 Index, a measure of equities no larger than $4.1 billion, is higher by 22% this year through August 16, compared with nearly 16% for the large-cap S&P 500 and 18% for the S&P Mid-Cap 400. Info-tech small-cap stocks, however, have advanced 25% through August 16, supporting the view the theme has been popular recently," said S&P Capital IQ in the note.

Indeed, PSCT has been an impressive performer. Year-to-date, the fund is up 21.3 percent, more than double the returns offered by the large-cap focused XLK.

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Disclosure: Author owns none of the securities mentioned here.