Alpha Blue Capital US Small-Mid Cap Dynamic ETF

ABCS, Alpha Blue Capital's ETF of U.S. small- and mid-sized companies, is actively managed and mixes hand-picked stocks with a few broad Vanguard funds that hold similar companies. The manager aims to beat the Bloomberg US 2500 Index by 1% to 3% a year over a full market cycle. Offered through ETF Architect, it charges 0.42% a year and is small, with about $12.5 million in assets as of August 31, 2026.

• Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ABCS returned +17.1%.
• Its worst full calendar year was 2025 (+8.0%); its best was 2024 (+14.5%).
• The deepest fall in its price history was 20.5% (Nov 25, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Aug 22, 2025.

As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 104 securities; the ten largest made up 39.62% of assets.

• Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $5K (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
• Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +3.84%, +5.22%, +1.24%.

ABCS doesn't track an index. Its sub-adviser, Alpha Blue Capital Management, picks holdings and tries to beat the Bloomberg US 2500 Index by 1% to 3% a year over a full market cycle, including rising and falling markets. At least 80% of assets go into U.S. small- and mid-sized companies, or ETFs that hold them. It defines these as companies worth about $500 million up to the largest stock in the CRSP US Mid Cap Index ($132 billion on November 30, 2025).

The portfolio has two parts, or sleeves. The first, generally over half of assets, holds 50 to 150 individual stocks picked through a four-level review that starts with valuation, then weighs competitive advantage and balance-sheet strength, then business momentum such as growing revenue. The second, generally under half, holds up to six small- and mid-cap ETFs. As of August 31, 2026, four Vanguard funds were the largest holdings, led by Vanguard's small-cap value ETF (VBR) at 14.17%.

The manager shifts the mix between sleeves and may favor some sectors. It can also hold foreign stocks, real estate investment trusts (REITs), business development companies and master limited partnerships. It is non-diversified, so it can concentrate in fewer names, and held no derivatives (contracts such as options or swaps) as of August 31, 2026.

• ABCS charges 0.42% a year.
• Of that, 0.4% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
• Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $43 in the first year and $530 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).

It adds an actively picked slice of smaller U.S. companies, but having launched in December 2023 and holding about $12.5 million as of August 31, 2026, it fits better as a smaller add-on than a core position.

ABCS could add U.S. small- and mid-sized companies to a large-company core. It launched December 20, 2023, so it has no record in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Of its two full calendar years, the weaker, 2025, still gained 7.93%. Its deepest drop was 20.5%, from November 25, 2024 to April 8, 2025; it regained its peak by August 22, 2025, about 4.5 months later. Cashing out near that low would have locked in the loss. Income is modest: a 1.11% yield over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. It costs 0.42% a year: $43 on $10,000 in year one, in the SEC's standard example. At about $12.5 million in assets as of August 31, 2026, it is small, and small funds close more often. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.

Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.

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