However, the firm has undergone a period of more portfolio manager turnover than its peers. Turnover in the portfolio-management ranks can happen for a number of reasons, including mergers and liquidations, portfolio managers moving into other roles, or portfolio managers leaving the firm. In some cases, such change may not signal a serious or immediate problem at the firm, but can still be disruptive for investors, hinder the effectiveness of a firm’s investment processes, or suggest a weaker investment culture. The firm tends to offer open-end and exchange-traded products at lower costs, a strength of the firm. On average, expenses for the firm's funds land in the second-cheapest quintile of category peers. The longest-tenured managers’ average asset-weighted tenure within the firm is 11 years, bringing a wealth of knowledge through multiple market cycles to the table and contributing positively to the rating.
SmartETFs has a strong investment culture as a firm, resulting in an Above Average Parent Pillar rating.