The Market Vectors Wide Moat ETF (NYSEArca: MOAT) has parted ways with social media darling Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) and some other highly recognizable names. However, the ETF that puts into practice the benefits of investing based on companies’ competitive advantages, a strategy that would make Warren Buffett proud, has also added some dividend stocks to its 20-stock lineup.
MOAT tracks the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index, which is designed to focus on companies with distinct competitive advantages. In addition to competitive advantages component, MOAT also includes the companies with the highest ratios of fair value as determined by Morningstar. [Wide Moat ETF Stands Tall as Legitimate Buffett Play]
Morningstar made new additions and subtractions to MOAT that took effect as of September 20. Along with Facebook, gone are Dow component Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) and oil services giants Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) and National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV). Amgen (NasdaqGM: AMGN), Qualcomm (NasdaqGM: QCOM), Expeditors International (NasdaqGM: EXPD), Vulacan Materials (NYSE: VMC) and Maxim Integrated Products (NasdaqGM: MXIM) have also been removed from MOAT’s lineup.
MOAT’s new additions are as follows: Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI), Coca-Cola (NYSE : KO), Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE), CSX (NYSE: CSX), Allergan (NYSE: AGN), Covidien (NYSE: COV), ITC Holdings (NYSE: ITC) and Medtronic (NYSE: MDT). Following the rebalance, all of MOAT’s holdings are reset to weights of 5%, according to Market Vectors data.
The addition of Dow component Coca-Cola, the world’s largest soft-drink maker, to MOAT’s lineup further cements the ETF as a valid way for everyday investors to follow Buffett’s value-based investing strategies. MOAT now holds three stocks – Coke, General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE: BK) – that are found in Berkshire Hathaway’s (NYSE: BRK-A, BRK-B) equity portfolio. The ETF also holds Berkshire’s “B” shares. [An ETF Based on Buffett’s Wide Moat Approach]
Investors clearly like the approach offered by MOAT. The fund is up more than 20% year-to-date and has brought in $192.6 million in assets, or more than half its current assets under management total, since the start of the year.