IndexUniverse.com: DB ETNs Replicate Graham Strategies

Written by Heather Bell
Thursday, 07 August 2008 14:19

Deutsche Bank is further expanding its offering of exchange-traded notes - this time through its association with the ELEMENTS platform rather than its agreement with Invesco PowerShares.

Thursday saw the launch of three ETNs tracking the Benjamin Graham Intelligent Value indexes through the ELMENTS platform. The indexes, according to a press release from Deutsche Bank, are "based on the investment philosophy of Benjamin Graham, which seeks to identify businesses with strong, liquid balance sheets that trade at a discount to their implied intrinsic value."

Benjamin Graham, an economist and investor considered to be the originator of the value investing concept, is an icon in the financial world. He was a strong influence on the opinions of many of the world's best-known financial minds, including and especially Warren Buffett. Graham died in 1976.

The indexes are designed by Hyde Park Group, which is owned by Nuveen Investments.

The three value-oriented funds cover the total market and the large-cap and small-cap segments. They include the following:

== Benjamin Graham Large Cap Value ELEMENTS (NYSEArca: BVL)
== Benjamin Graham Small Cap Value ELEMENTS (NYSEArca: BSC)
== Benjamin Graham Total Market Value ELEMENTS (NYSEArca: BVT)

It's not clear who these ETNs are targeted at, although there are plenty of investors who still take Graham's philosophy to heart more than 30 years after his death. It's also unclear how the indexes will replicate Graham's philosophy.

Each fund charges an expense ratio of 0.75%.

Source: IndexUniverse.com. Click here for original posting.