According to CNBC Pro, four ETFs in Europe and North America have successfully outperformed the S&P 500 over the past five years, a notable achievement given the U.S. benchmark’s significant gains of 23.3% in 2024 and 24.2% the previous year. CNBC Pro’s analysis encompassed over 10,600 ETFs, identifying those that surpassed the S&P 500 from 2020 to 2024. The top-performing fund in 2024 was the First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF, which gained 33.4% and rose 167% over five years, compared to the S&P 500’s 97% increase. This fund focuses on small and mid-cap U.S. industrial and community banking sectors. The JPMorgan U.S. Research Enhanced Index Equity ETF has outperformed the benchmark annually since 2019 using a “research enhanced indexing” strategy, offering a mix of index investing and active management. Goldman Sachs’ ActiveBeta US Large Cap Equity ETF also beat the benchmark by following a unique index that emphasizes good value and low volatility. Lastly, the SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF, which tracks a broader index, consistently outperformed the S&P 500 during the same period.
