A Free Cash Flow Focus May Help Bolster Equity Returns

A proliferation of ETF strategies in recent years means investors now find themselves with many choices when looking to enhance their equity returns. VictoryShares has launched an ETF that allows investors to capture value-oriented companies with growth potential. The ETF provides exposure to quality companies with reliable free cash flow (FCF) and a growth tilt.

FCF is a company’s remaining cash after covering all expenses. It can be used to invest in growing the business, paying dividends, or paying down debt.

The VictoryShares Free Cash Flow ETF (VFLO) offers exposure to quality companies with favorable growth prospects. Whereas many FCF strategies focus only on current FCF, VFLO calculates it holistically.

VFLO tracks the Victory U.S. Large Cap Free Cash Flow Index (the Index), which includes both trailing and anticipated FCF. When screening companies, the Index uses a rules-based methodology to account for overall FCF and FCF yield. The Index also employs a growth screen for securities included, giving VFLO a forward-looking, growth-oriented approach to FCF investing.

Add Diversification to Your Equity Portfolio

The Index’s FCF focus results in sector diversification that differs from its benchmark. The top three sector allocations by weight in VFLO were health care at 28.38%, energy at 24.41%, and consumer discretionary at 17.56%, as of 6/30/24. In comparison, the Russell 1000 Value Index’s top three sectors included industrials at 14.25%, health care at 13.91%, and information technology at 9.53% as of the same date.

These sector differences position VFLO as a suitable complement and diversifier to existing value strategies within a portfolio. VFLO can be a notable addition to existing equity allocations. The ETF has a net expense ratio of 0.39% and a gross expense ratio of 0.66%.

VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”) is the index provider for VFLO, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, VFLO is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi, and VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of VFLO.

For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Free Cash Flow Channel.


Net expense ratios reflect the contractual waiver and or reimbursement of management fees through at least December 31, 2024.

Disclosure Information

Carefully consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus containing this and other important information, visit http://www.vcm.com/prospectus. Read it carefully before investing.

All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Please note that the Fund is a new ETF with a limited history. The Fund has the same risks as the underlying securities traded on the exchange throughout the day. Redemptions are limited, and commissions are often charged on each trade. ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The performance of the Fund may diverge from that of the Index. Investing in companies with high free cash flows could lead to underperformance when such investments are unpopular or during periods of industry disruptions.

The fund could also be affected by company-specific factors that could jeopardize the generation of free cash flow. Derivatives may not work as intended and may result in losses. Large shareholders, including other funds advised by the Adviser, may own a substantial amount of the Fund’s shares. The actions of large shareholders, including large inflows or outflows, may adversely affect other shareholders, including potentially increasing capital gains. The value of your investment is also subject to geopolitical risks such as wars, terrorism, environmental disasters, and public health crises; the risk of technology malfunctions or disruptions; and the responses to such events by governments and/or individual companies.

Additional Information

The Victory U.S. Large Cap Free Cash Flow Index aims to select high quality companies from its starting universe by applying profitability screens. It then selects companies with the strongest free cash flow yield that exhibit higher growth. The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted quarterly. This Index calculates free cash flow yield by dividing expected free cash flow by enterprise value. Expected free cash flow is the average of trailing 12-month FCF and next 12-month forward free cash flow. Enterprise value (EV) measures a company’s total value, often used as a more comprehensive alternative to equity market capitalization.

Distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC (Foreside). Foreside is not affiliated with Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM), the Fund’s advisor. Neither Foreside nor VCM are affiliated with VettaFi.

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