MDY

MDY, as one of the first ETFs to launch in the US, the fund offers extremely liquid exposure to a popular mid-cap index. It is one of several funds tracking the S&P mid-cap 400 Index. Unlike most competitors, MDY uses the unit investment trust structure, which requires a direct replication of its underlying index and doesn't allow for reinvesting dividends between distribution dates or for lending out securities. While this older legal structure is perfectly serviceable, it hinders the fund's tracking in comparison to competitors. Although the fund bills itself as mid-caps only, in comparison to our large-leaning benchmark it includes a small-cap tilt causing a lower average market cap. Still, the fund is a good representation of its segment of the market, taking no significant sector bets and avoiding concentrated holdings. While very long-term investors might prefer peer funds, MDY is a solid and extremely popular choice in the mid-cap space.