Skip to content
SuperMoney logo
SuperMoney logo

Tilt Funds: Definition, Strategies, Examples, and Benefits

Last updated 03/23/2024 by

Alessandra Nicole

Edited by

Fact checked by

Summary:
Tilt funds, also known as enhanced index funds, blend passive index investing with active management to potentially outperform traditional index funds. These funds aim to achieve accelerated returns by incorporating additional securities based on specific investment strategies or factors, while maintaining relatively low risk. This article explores the concept of tilt funds, their strategies, examples, and potential benefits for investors within the finance industry.
A tilt fund, alternatively labeled as an enhanced index fund, represents a hybrid investment vehicle merging the passive approach of index investing with active management techniques. By augmenting a core portfolio of stocks that mirrors a benchmark index with supplementary securities, tilt funds seek to tilt or skew their holdings towards specific investment strategies or factors. Let’s delve further into comprehending tilt funds and their significance in the finance industry.

Understanding tilt funds

Tilt funds, often referred to as enhanced index funds, stand as investment options engineered to augment overall investment returns by deviating from the typical composition of standard index funds. These funds maintain a core holding of stocks resembling a benchmark index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500), but incorporate additional securities intended to outperform the baseline index.

Key features of tilt funds:

  • Tilted towards specific investment strategies or factors
  • Blend passive indexing with active management
  • Include supplementary securities beyond the core index
  • Benchmarked against common index funds
Tilt funds are frequently benchmarked against renowned indexes like the S&P 500 but may utilize diverse indices contingent on the fund’s investment objectives. By integrating tilt strategies, fund managers endeavor to generate accelerated returns while maintaining a certain level of safety by adhering to mainstream stocks.

Examples of tilted investments

Tilted funds manifest in diverse forms, each featuring a unique tilt strategy. Here are examples of popular tilted funds:
  • SPDR’s S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU): This ETF mirrors the returns of the S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index, emphasizing stocks with relatively low valuations.
  • FlexShares’ Morningstar US Market (TILT): Another instance of a tilted fund, TILT seeks to outperform traditional index funds by weighting its investments based on factors such as valuations and dividends.
These examples illustrate how tilt funds employ various strategies to potentially enhance returns compared to standard index funds.

Weighted tilting investments

Another approach to tilt funds involves weighting investments to allocate more weight to certain stocks within the index. For instance, yield tilt index funds may overweight stocks with high dividend payments, aiming to generate additional capital alongside stock price appreciation.
WEIGH THE RISKS AND BENEFITS
Here is a list of the benefits and the drawbacks to consider.
Pros
Cons
  • Higher management fees compared to standard index funds
  • Active management introduces potential for underperformance
  • May deviate too far from index composition, leading to increased risk

Frequently asked questions

How do tilt funds differ from traditional index funds?

Tilt funds deviate from traditional index funds by incorporating additional securities to enhance performance. While traditional index funds strictly replicate the composition of a benchmark index, tilt funds employ active management strategies to achieve potentially higher returns.

What are the main characteristics of tilt funds?

Tilt funds combine passive indexing with active management strategies. They maintain a core holding of stocks resembling a benchmark index while adding supplementary securities to tilt towards specific investment strategies or factors.

What are the potential benefits of investing in tilt funds?

Investing in tilt funds offers the potential for accelerated returns compared to traditional index funds. These funds blend the benefits of passive indexing with the ability to capitalize on specific investment strategies, potentially outperforming the broader market.

Key takeaways

  • Tilt funds blend passive indexing with active strategies to potentially outperform traditional index funds.
  • Examples of tilt funds include those emphasizing factors such as valuations, dividends, or specific stock categories.
  • Investing in tilt funds offers the potential for enhanced returns while maintaining diversification.

Share this post:

You might also like