DS KOSDAQ Active, the first exchange-traded fund launched by DS Asset Management, has surpassed 50 billion won ($36 million) in net assets about two months after its listing. Its one-month return topped 26%, the highest among ETFs listed in South Korea.
Net assets for DS KOSDAQ Active passed 50 billion won based on the closing price on Sept. 23, according to the Korea Exchange on Sept. 28. That came roughly two months after the fund was listed on July 14. As of Sept. 23, its one-month return stood at 26.04%, ranking first among 1,175 ETFs listed in the country. Over the same period, the KOSDAQ index, the fund's comparative benchmark, returned 5.30%, meaning the ETF outperformed it by 20.74 percentage points.
DS KOSDAQ Active is an active ETF that identifies and invests in market-leading stocks in growth industries on the KOSDAQ. Fund managers analyze each company's growth potential, earnings and competitive position within its industry to decide which stocks to hold and in what proportion. While the fund uses the KOSDAQ index as its benchmark, it seeks excess returns through stock selection rather than simply replicating the index components.
The portfolio has also shifted since listing. It was initially built around companies supplying materials, parts and equipment for artificial intelligence chips, before broadening to include firms involved in substrates, testing, back-end processing and advanced packaging. Its largest holdings are currently Simmtech (10.10%), SamSiEnS (7.58%), EO Technics (4.70%) and ISC (4.05%).
"This is the result of selecting stocks by focusing on corporate growth and change, and actively adjusting the portfolio in line with market conditions," said Jung Sung-in, a director on the ETF team at DS Asset Management. "We will continue to identify new market leaders on the KOSDAQ based on company analysis."
