Buy STRV in japan? possible.

[TokyoBoglehead]

Thoughts? VOO is run by vanguard. Engine no.1 is the mechanism used to do their activism in favor of ESG so investing in VOO is more a neutral "do whatever" stance.

While STRV is more a "No, do whats best for the investor" stance. Vanguard couldn't run a Pro-ESG fund AND the reverse of that at the same time.

So STRV seems like its VOO minus the pro ESG activism.

No not really, did you read the linked article? You are paying for boardroom activism. I.E using shareholder votes to oppose ESG "like" activity.

Vanguards voting is extremely neutral. They focus on what is best for the shareholders.

Blackrock perhaps a bit more left of center.

Engine #1 Vote, extremely left of centre.

[mighty58]

I'm all for statements like "Hiring should be based on merit, not race, sex, or politics." Yes, let's do that.

But when you're talking about your own money in an investment, you need to evaluate it in a different way. Can they actually do what they say?

And if they are successful in getting, for example, Apple to not consider scope 3 emissions anymore, who's to say that the markets writ-large wouldn't punish Apple for that?

And on things like hiring, are these fund managers actually saying they're going to try and influence day-to-day corporate decision making, and at potentially hundreds of portfolio companies? Is that really practical? Is it even something a fund manager should be doing? Not to mention that this fund, given their size, would lack any of the required clout required to do so. So how exactly is this going to work?

They're selling a story that will appeal to many people. But it doesn't sound like a good investment. And looking at their holdings, their no 1-5 holdings are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, and Alphabet. Nothing different to see here.

[captainspoke]

Anti-ESG Firm’s Second Fund Arrives After $330 Million ETF Debut
STRV will vote against unrelated ‘social or political agendas’
Peter Thiel, Bill Ackman among investors backing Strive
ByKatherine Greifeld

Strive Asset Management has launched its second anti-activism exchange-traded fund after the success of its debut product.

The Strive 500 ETF (ticker STRV), which began trading Thursday, tracks an index of the 500 largest US stocks. Unlike other passively managed, large-cap funds, STRV will “vote against board members and proposals that advance social or political agendas unrelated to providing excellent products and services to customers,” according to a regulatory filing.


The new fund fits in with Strive’s core thesis: push American corporations away from social causes by accumulating enough assets to have a say in the boardroom. In doing so, Strive -- which launched in 2022 with backing from billionaire investors including Peter Thiel and Bill Ackman -- is pitting itself directly against the likes of BlackRock Inc., which has embraced environmental, social and governance-focused investing. ...

I really dislike the way Thiel has used his money to influence elections, particularly this cycle. One of the unfortunalities of the US system.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/20/us/p ... ip-ca.html

[Gulliver]

Step 1. Soothe peoples woes with the mind numbing reactionary balm of “us versus them”.
Step 2. Control the means of production.

How quickly we forget.