At a glance
BULD charges 0.49% a year, below the 0.52% average of the 4 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 5). It has $14.9M in assets, the 4th largest of that group; it paid 0.87% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +24.2% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 2nd of those 5 funds; over three years it returned +26.6% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 64.1% of the fund, out of 60 in all.
The short version
Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF (BULD) is an index fund that tracks the BlueStar Robotics and 3D Printing Index. The index is a global basket of companies in robotics and factory automation, 3D printing and computer-aided design (CAD) software. Instead of weighting purely by company size, the index resets to 50% robotics, 25% 3D printing and 25% CAD software at each twice-yearly rebalance. Its 0.49% annual fee is slightly below the 0.52% average of similar funds.
Price history
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BULD +24.2% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BULD official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +22.51% | — | — | — | +7.15% |
| BULD price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +33.1% | +24.2% | +26.6% | — | — | +13.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, BULD returned +24.2%, 2nd of 5 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (-3.9%); its best was 2023 (+28.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 27.6% (Mar 7, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Sep 15, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +33.1% | — |
| 2025 | +23.2% | +22.51% |
| 2024 | -3.9% | -3.70% |
| 2023 | +28.3% | +28.23% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.3200 | +700.0% |
| 2024 | $0.0400 | -20.0% |
| 2023 | $0.0500 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 60 securities; the ten largest made up 64.12% of assets. It also reported 6.24% in a money-market fund, most likely cash collateral from lending out shares rather than uninvested money.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Inc | 8.62% | |
| Proto Labs Inc | 8.28% | |
| Applied Materials Inc | 7.99% | |
| ASML Holding NV | 7.66% | |
| Dassault Systemes SE | 7.09% | |
| Lam Research Corp | 7.08% | |
| Nano Dimension Ltd | 4.52% | |
| PTC Inc | 4.47% | |
| Stratasys Ltd | 4.23% | |
| 3D Systems Corp | 4.18% | |
| KLA Corp | 3.93% | |
| Bentley Systems Inc | 2.58% | |
| Keyence Corp | 2.53% | |
| Nemetschek SE | 2.36% | |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd | 2.35% |
By country
United States 58.07%Japan 12.88%Netherlands 9.12%France 7.09%Israel 4.99%By asset type
Stocks 99.96%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $9.7M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +10.80%, +12.68%, -11.37%.
How it works
Pacer Advisors runs BULD as an index fund. It aims to match the BlueStar Robotics and 3D Printing Index before fees, generally by holding every stock in it. MV Index Solutions builds the index from stocks and depositary receipts (certificates representing foreign shares) listed worldwide. A new company must earn at least 50% of its revenue from robotics and manufacturing automation, 3D printing, or computer-aided design (CAD) software. Existing members need only 25%. Newcomers also need a market value of at least $500 million and steady trading volume.
Each group gets a fixed slice at every rebalance: 50% robotics, 25% 3D printing and 25% CAD. Within a slice, the largest companies are added until they cover 98% of the group's market value. Each slice must hold at least 25 robotics, ten 3D printing or ten CAD firms. Weights follow float-adjusted market value (only shares available to the public), with an 8% cap per stock. Positions of 5% or more can't total more than 50%. Rebalancing happens after the third Thursday of June and December. In between, weights can drift past these limits.
BULD uses no leverage, options or derivatives. As of July 31, 2026, it owned 60 stocks. Of its assets, 58% were in US companies, with much of the rest in Japan, the Netherlands and France, so currency swings affect returns.
What it really costs
- BULD charges 0.49% a year, versus an average of 0.52% for the similar funds below (3rd of 5, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $50 in the first year and $616 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BULD | $50 | $157 | $274 | $616 |
In a retirement portfolio
BULD is a narrow theme fund, with 64% of assets in its 10 largest holdings as of July 31, 2026, and volatility (a measure of how sharply its price swings) of 31.4% over the year to October 27, 2026, so it fits as a small add-on, not a foundation.
BULD launched in May 2022, partway through the 2022 bear market. Its record doesn't cover the 2008 financial crisis, the 2020 COVID crash or the full 2022 decline. Its deepest drop was 27.6%, from March 7, 2024, to April 8, 2025. It regained that peak by September 15, 2025, about 5.3 months after the low. Its weakest calendar year, 2024, lost 3.7%, but single quarters ranged from a 12.85% loss to an 18.81% gain. Anyone cashing out shares during that slump would have done so at depressed prices.
Income is minor: the yield was 0.87% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. At 0.49% a year, costs come to $50 in the first year and $616 over 10 years in the SEC's standard $10,000 example. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting one fund that spans robotics, 3D printing and design software, with holdings such as Autodesk, ASML, Dassault Systemes and Stratasys.
- Cost-conscious theme investors: the 0.49% fee undercuts 3D Printing ETF (PRNT) at 0.66% and is close to VanEck Robotics ETF (IBOT) at 0.47%.
- Investors who can hold through deep swings, like the 27.6% drop from March 2024 to April 2025, and keep it as a small slice.
Look elsewhere if
- Retirees seeking income: the yield was 0.87% as of October 27, 2026, and distributions come only once a year.
- Anyone wanting a long track record: BULD launched in May 2022, so it missed the 2008 and 2020 crashes entirely.
- Investors wary of concentration: the top 10 holdings made up 64% of this $14.9 million fund as of July 31, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
Net assets from each fund's latest N-PORT or annual report where available. Returns through Oct 27, 2026.Questions investors ask
What does BULD hold?
BULD holds about 60 companies worldwide in robotics and factory automation, 3D printing and computer-aided design software, following the BlueStar Robotics and 3D Printing Index. As of July 31, 2026, its largest holdings were Autodesk (8.6%), Proto Labs (8.3%), Applied Materials (8.0%), ASML (7.7%), Dassault Systemes (7.1%) and Lam Research (7.1%). The top 10 made up 64% of assets. US companies were 58% of the fund, followed by Japan at 12.9% and the Netherlands at 9.1%.
What is the expense ratio of BULD?
BULD's expense ratio is 0.49% a year, according to its prospectus filed February 27, 2026. That is slightly below the 0.52% average of similar funds. It is the third-cheapest of five, behind VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) at 0.35% and VanEck Robotics ETF (IBOT) at 0.47%. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would incur $50 in costs after one year, $274 after five and $616 after 10.
How has BULD performed since launch?
According to its prospectus, BULD returned an average of 7.15% a year from its May 2022 launch through December 31, 2025. There were big swings along the way: a 28.23% gain in 2023, a 3.7% loss in 2024 and a 22.51% gain in 2025. Based on market prices, it was up 33.1% for 2026 through October 27, a partial year. It averaged 26.6% a year over the three years to that date. Past returns don't predict future results.
What's the difference between BULD and PRNT?
The main difference is breadth. PRNT, the 3D Printing ETF, focuses on that one industry. BULD's index gives 3D printing 25% and puts 50% in robotics and automation and 25% in design software. About 34% of their holdings overlap. BULD's fee is 0.49% versus PRNT's 0.66%. As of October 27, 2026, BULD returned 24.2% over one year and 26.6% a year over three, against 6.1% and 13.3% for PRNT. PRNT is larger: $58.7 million in net assets versus $14.9 million as of July 31, 2026.
Is BULD good for retirement income?
Not as an income source. BULD's yield was 0.87% as of October 27, 2026, and it pays only once a year. It is also a concentrated theme fund. Its top 10 holdings made up 64% of assets as of July 31, 2026. It fell 27.6% from March 7, 2024, to April 8, 2025, before recovering by September 15, 2025. It may suit retirees who want a small growth-oriented slice alongside broader, income-producing holdings.