Paws Up: The First Pets ETF Is Here

Cue the cute cat videos from YouTube. The first exchange traded fund dedicated to the pet care industry, the ProShares Pet Care ETF PAWZ, debuted Tuesday.

The new ETF tracks the FactSet Pet Care Index. That index is comprised “primarily of companies whose principal business is determined to be pet care related by FactSet, and that meet additional criteria specified in the prospectus. The index currently consists of 22 companies that are equally weighted to provide broad exposure to potential growth within the pet care industry. The index is rebalanced quarterly,” according to Maryland-based ProShares.

What Happened

On the surface, PAWZ may appear to be another niche ETF, but as pet owners know, the pet business is big business. Data confirm as much.

“Seven out of 10 U.S. households today have pets, more than have children, and owners are providing pets with premium foods, luxury services, state-of-the-art health care, insurance policies and more,” said ProShares. “The pet care industry could reach $203 billion in global sales by 2025.”

Why It's Important

PAWZ is a global ETF with its 22 holdings seven countries, all of which are developed markets. U.S. companies account for 59.65 percent of the new fund while the U.K. and Germany combine for nearly 26 percent. Switzerland, France, Australia and Japan are the other countries represented in the new ETF.

The average market capitalization of companies in the index tracked by PAWZ is $18.60 billion, according to issuer data.

Familiar names on the PAWZ roster include PetMed Express Inc. PETS, Zoetis Inc. ZTS, Colgate-Palmolive Co. CL and J.M. Smucker Co. SJM. The PAWZ roster is rife with consolidation potential.

“More than 80 mergers and acquisitions have occurred over the previous 12 months, indicating that established companies as well as investors are attracted to this dynamic space,” said ProShares.

What's Next

Nearly 24 percent of PAWZ components are makers of veterinary pharmaceuticals and over 14 percent make veterinary diagnostic equipment. Supply makers and retailers combine for almost 24 percent.

PAWZ charges 0.50 percent per year, or $50 on a $10,000 investment.

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