Claymore ‘Acts Responsibly’ and Closes 11 ETFs

After three years of billions of dollars flowing into exchange traded funds (ETFs) and hundreds being launched, one ETF provider is showing their accountability and trimming the hedges.

Following a recommendation and approval from their board of directors, Claymore today filed with the SEC to close 11 of their 37 ETFs. I spoke with Christian Magoon, the head of Claymore’s ETF Group, who explained that Claymore felt they have a duty to all shareholders and if some ETFs are not widely accepted in the marketplace, it’s Claymore’s responsibility to act.

The closing funds represent less than 2% of the firm’s U.S. ETF assets. View the press release here. The last trading day for the following funds will be February 19:

• Claymore/BIR Leaders 50 (BST)
  
• Claymore/BIR Leaders Mid-Cap Value (BMV)
  
• Claymore/BIR Leaders Small-Cap Core (BES)
  
• Claymore/Robeco Boston Partners Large-Cap Value (CLV)
  
• Claymore/LGA Green (GRN)
  
• Claymore/KLD Sudan Free Large-Cap Core (KSF)
  
• Claymore/Clear Mid-Cap Growth Index (MCG)
  
• Claymore/Zacks Growth & Income Index (CZG)
  
• Claymore/IndexIQ Small-Cap Value (SCV)
  
• Claymore/Robeco Developed World Equity (EEW)
  
• Claymore/Clear Global Vaccine Index (JNR)

Some ETF naysayers may have been waiting for something like this and may jump all over the news as a sign that the ETF industry has been fat, dumb and happy for too long. In reality, this is probably the kind of move that the conventional mutual fund industry should have made years ago.