The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Suncoast Equity Management 
Suncoast Equity Management, a Tampa-based investment management firm with a growing presence in the intermediary distribution space, has launched its first actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF): the Suncoast Select Growth Fund.

Trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol SEMG, the fund marks a milestone for the firm as it expands access to its investment strategy through a new, investor-friendly vehicle.

SEMG holds a concentrated portfolio of 18 to 22 high-conviction, domestic large-cap growth companies. With a dual objective of capital appreciation and preservation, the strategy targets businesses demonstrating strong earnings growth, consistent free cash flow, robust balance sheets, and durable competitive advantages. Developed and refined over 27 years, the strategy has been managed in a separate account format by Suncoast Equity Management’s founder and chief investment officer, Donald Jowdy, and senior vice president and co-portfolio manager, Amy Lord, for the past 16 years, the firm said in a statement.

“This ETF allows us to expand access to a time-tested strategy, reaching a wider range of institutional and intermediary partners while staying true to the disciplined approach that has defined our firm for nearly 30 years,” Dan McNichol, president of Suncoast Equity Management, said.

Jowdy and Lord will continue to lead the strategy within the ETF. The ETF structure offers key benefits to investors, including daily liquidity, tax efficiency, and greater accessibility for individual and institutional investors alike.

"This evolution to an ETF format was a natural next step, driven by growing interest among intermediary relationships,” the firm said. “As ETFs continue to become a core component of financial advisors’ portfolio construction, this launch helps deepen our ability to serve both existing and future clients,” added McNichol.

A number of firms have been expanding their ETF range, most recently California-based investment house Franklin Templeton. See more here.