Investment objective & strategy
As of July 28, 2025 · prospectusObjective. The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Strategy. The fund invests primarily in exchange-traded equity securities of U.S. small- and mid-capitalization companies which are companies with capitalizations within the range of the Russell 2500 Index, as measured at the time of purchase; however, the fund may invest in exchange-traded securities of companies outside the stated range. In selecting securities, the funds subadviser seeks to invest in companies that it believes exhibit attributes that will result in capital appreciation including: high barriers to entry, enduring competitive advantage, predictable fundamentals that allow for the potential for double-digit earnings growth (at time of initial purchase), skilled management teams, and solid financials. In addition, the funds subadviser generally seeks to invest in companies that are trading at a low valuation relative to … The fund invests primarily in exchange-traded equity securities of U.S. small- and mid-capitalization companies which are companies with capitalizations within the range of the Russell 2500 Index, as measured at the time of purchase; however, the fund may invest in exchange-traded securities of companies outside the stated range. In selecting securities, the funds subadviser seeks to invest in companies that it believes exhibit attributes that will result in capital appreciation including: high barriers to entry, enduring competitive advantage, predictable fundamentals that allow for the potential for double-digit earnings growth (at time of initial purchase), skilled management teams, and solid financials. In addition, the funds subadviser generally seeks to invest in companies that are trading at a low valuation relative to potential earnings and/or a low valuation relative to intrinsic value. In addition, during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may take temporary defensive positions, whether managed by the investment adviser or subadviser, that are inconsistent with the funds principal investment strategy. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment objective. The fund also may lend portfolio securities to earn additional income. Any income realized through securities lending may help fund performance. The fund is an actively managed, non-transparent exchange-traded fund (ETF) that does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. In lieu of publishing its portfolio contents (Actual Portfolio) daily, the fund publishes a proxy portfolio (Proxy Portfolio) each day on its website. The funds Proxy Portfolio is designed to closely track the daily performance of the fund but is not the funds Actual Portfolio. The fund will also publish certain related information about the Proxy Portfolio and the Actual Portfolio on its website daily. There is no minimum overlap required between the Actual Portfolio and the Proxy Portfolio.
Top holdings
As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONESPAWORLD HOLDINGS LTD | — | $1.29M | 5.60% |
| BRINK'S CO/THE | — | $903.45K | 3.93% |
| LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS HOLDINGS | — | $816.61K | 3.55% |
| NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HLDGS LTD | — | $780.48K | 3.40% |
| JONES LANG LASALLE INC | — | $749.54K | 3.26% |
| SPHERE ENTERTAINMENT CO | — | $729.76K | 3.17% |
| GENERAC HOLDINGS INC | — | $651.82K | 2.84% |
| KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES INC | — | $650.86K | 2.83% |
| NORTHERN TRUST CORP | — | $643.98K | 2.80% |
| NVENT ELECTRIC PLC | — | $626.53K | 2.73% |
Portfolio moves
Dec 31, 2025 → Mar 31, 2026How many positions this fund opened, exited, grew, trimmed, or left unchanged between its two most recent N-PORT snapshots — net changes between point-in-time reports, not a trade log.
Similar funds
Funds whose portfolios most overlap this one, by weight| Fund | Overlap | Net exp. |
|---|---|---|
| Ariel Appreciation Fund · CAAPX, CAAIX | 51% | 0.84% |
| Ariel Fund · ARGFX, ARAIX | 40% | 0.70% |
| VANGUARD EXPLORER VALUE FUND · VEVFX | 27% | 0.54% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| Ariel Investments, LLC | Sub-adviser |
| Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. | Adviser |
Footnotes
- Expense ratio as of July 28, 2025, from the fund's prospectus.
- Net assets and holdings count as of March 31, 2026, from the fund's N-PORT filing.
- Total return for calendar year 2025, before tax and after fund expenses. Computed by compounding the twelve monthly total returns the fund reported in its SEC N-PORT filings for 2025 (the latest prospectus does not yet chart this year).
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