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Efficient Asset Allocation for Individual Investors in the ETF World

Author

Listed:
  • Emekter Riza

    (Robert Morris University, School of Business, 6001 University Boulevard, Moon Township, PA 15108, Phone: +1 412 397 5458, United States)

  • Jirasakuldech Benjamas

    (Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, School of Business, 1 Morrow Way, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, Phone +1 724 738 4370, United States)

  • Beaves Robert

    (Robert Morris University, School of Business, 6001 University Boulevard, Moon Township, PA 15108, Phone +1 412 397 6391, United States)

Abstract

Research has shown that investment success is largely driven by asset allocation. With the dramatic growth in number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), individual investors have gained access to a wicie variety of funds including funds representing non-traditional asset classes, This proliferation of ETFs allows investors to take advantage of high return alternatives while maintaining an asset allocation that is well diversified. This paper explores the potential for creating effcient portfolios using ETFs exclusively. We use price data from 2007 to 2017 for thirty-four ETFs to demonstrate that a portfolio of ETFs based on an average optimal weight allocation has a higher Sharpe ratio than 85 percent of the ETFs studied. Constructing effcient portfolios based on the average of optimized weights improves this portfolio’s returns by 370 basis points and increases the Sharpe ratio significantly as compared with ex ante mean-variance optimization. We conclude that investors can benefit from using average optimized weights in building portfolios made up primarily of ETFs.

Suggested Citation

  • Emekter Riza & Jirasakuldech Benjamas & Beaves Robert, 2022. "Efficient Asset Allocation for Individual Investors in the ETF World," Financial Planning Research Journal, Sciendo, vol. 8(1), pages 79-98.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:finprj:v:8:y:2022:i:1:p:79-98:n:1004
    DOI: 10.2478/fprj-2022-0004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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