Cohen & Steers Expands Active ETF Offerings With Three New Funds
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 06 2025
0mins
Should l Buy WELL?
Source: Benzinga
Cohen & Steers Launches New ETFs: The firm has introduced three actively managed ETFs aimed at providing investors with accessible investment strategies, featuring expense ratios between 0.5% and 0.7%, amidst growing demand for such products.
Focus of the New Funds: The new ETFs include a real estate-focused fund (CSRE), an income and capital appreciation fund through preferred securities (CSPF), and a natural resources fund (CSNR), each targeting specific sectors to enhance portfolio diversification and returns.
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Analyst Views on WELL
Wall Street analysts forecast WELL stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 206.090
Low
182.00
Averages
209.00
High
231.00
Current: 206.090
Low
182.00
Averages
209.00
High
231.00
About WELL
Welltower Inc. is focused on rental housing for aging seniors across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The Company's portfolio of 2,000+ seniors and wellness housing communities are positioned at the intersection of housing and hospitality. Its segments include Seniors Housing Operating, Triple-net and Outpatient Medical. Its Seniors Housing Operating properties include seniors apartments, assisted living communities, independent living/continuing care retirement communities, independent supportive living communities (Canada), care homes with and without nursing (United Kingdom) and combinations thereof. Its Triple-net properties include the property types described above as well as long-term/post-acute care facilities. It invests in seniors housing and healthcare real estate through acquisition of single tenant properties. Its Outpatient Medical properties are typically leased to multiple tenants and generally require a certain level of property management by the Company.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Annual Revenue Surge: WELL Health Technologies Corp achieved annual revenue of $1.4 billion, marking a 52% year-over-year increase, indicating strong growth momentum in the healthcare sector that is expected to enhance market competitiveness.
- Record Adjusted Net Income: The company reported a record adjusted net income of $126.5 million, or $0.50 per share, significantly up from $0.03 per share in 2024, showcasing a remarkable improvement in profitability that is likely to attract investor interest.
- Free Cash Flow Growth: WELL Health generated $58.2 million in free cash flow, a 19% increase, providing ample funding for future investments and expansions, thereby enhancing financial stability.
- Increase in Patient Visits: The total number of patient visits reached 10.5 million, a 26% year-over-year increase, reflecting the company's success in improving customer service and expanding market share, further solidifying its position in the Canadian healthcare market.
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- Cost and Yield Comparison: The FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund (GQRE) charges a lower expense ratio of 0.45% compared to the State Street SPDR Dow Jones International Real Estate ETF (RWX) at 0.59%, while offering a higher dividend yield of 4.5%, appealing to income-focused investors.
- Portfolio Construction Differences: GQRE allocates 96% of its assets to real estate companies with 174 positions, whereas RWX diversifies across 121 securities, primarily in Japan and the UK, highlighting distinct geographic diversification strategies.
- Historical Performance Analysis: Over the past year, RWX has achieved a return of 19.0%, significantly outperforming GQRE's 12.9%, indicating stronger performance in the international real estate market, which may attract investors seeking global investment opportunities.
- Long-Term Investment Potential: Despite RWX's recent strong performance, GQRE has outperformed RWX since March 2021, demonstrating stability in the U.S. real estate market and the advantages of high-quality REITs, making it suitable for long-term investors.
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- Cost and Yield Comparison: The iShares Global REIT ETF (REET) has an annual expense ratio of 0.14%, significantly lower than FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund (GQRE) at 0.45%, making REET more appealing for cost-conscious long-term investors, while GQRE's 4.5% dividend yield attracts income-seeking investors.
- Asset Size and Liquidity: REET boasts $4.6 billion in assets under management and holds 325 global real estate stocks, offering greater liquidity and diversification, whereas GQRE has only $357 million in assets and 174 holdings, resulting in lower liquidity despite its focus on real estate companies.
- Risk and Return Analysis: Over the past five years, REET experienced a maximum drawdown of 32.06%, compared to GQRE's 35.07%, indicating that while both ETFs have delivered nearly identical returns over ten years, GQRE exhibits slightly higher volatility, reflecting a disadvantage in risk management.
- Investment Timing and Market Outlook: With interest rates stabilizing and the Federal Reserve signaling potential rate cuts, 2026 could be an opportune time to invest in these ETFs, where REET's diversification and scale offer liquidity advantages, while GQRE may appeal to those prioritizing higher dividends.
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- Cost and Yield Comparison: GQRE charges over three times the fees of REET but offers a dividend yield that is one percentage point higher, making it more appealing for income-seeking investors, although long-term cost-conscious investors may be wary of the higher expenses.
- Asset Management Scale: REET boasts significantly larger assets under management compared to GQRE, with billions versus $357 million, providing REET with advantages in liquidity and market influence, making it suitable for investors focused on liquidity.
- Holdings and Risk Assessment: GQRE holds only 174 securities while REET has 325; despite both funds delivering nearly identical returns over the past decade, GQRE's five-year maximum drawdown of 35% is slightly higher than REET's 32%, indicating greater volatility in GQRE.
- Market Outlook and Investment Strategy: With interest rates stabilizing and the Federal Reserve signaling rate cuts, 2026 could be a favorable time to invest in these real estate ETFs, requiring investors to choose based on their income needs and risk tolerance.
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- Cost and Yield Differences: HAUZ's expense ratio stands at 0.10%, significantly lower than GQRE's 0.45%, and while GQRE offers a slightly higher yield by 0.1 percentage points, HAUZ's lower costs make it more attractive for long-term investors.
- Return and Risk Comparison: Over the past five years, a $1,000 investment in GQRE grew to over $1,200, while HAUZ only reached $1,039; despite GQRE's higher expenses, its focus on U.S. real estate may provide greater stability.
- Portfolio Composition: HAUZ holds 413 securities with 96% in real estate, reflecting its diversification in international markets, whereas GQRE focuses entirely on U.S. real estate with 174 securities, indicating a preference for large U.S.-listed REITs.
- Market Outlook and Strategy: With potential interest rate declines from the Federal Reserve, HAUZ's portfolio of international securities may be undervalued following market downturns, and although GQRE offers higher yields, HAUZ's cost advantage may lead to better performance in the coming years.
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- Market Overview: As of March 16, there are 193 stocks on The Best Stocks in the Market list, and despite facing multiple risks such as war in the Middle East and rising oil prices, the S&P 500 remains 5% below all-time highs, indicating market resilience and defensiveness.
- Ventas Performance Review: Since November 6, Ventas, Inc. (VTR) has seen a total return increase of 16%, with year-end earnings showing a 10% year-over-year growth in funds from operations and nearly $5 billion in acquisitions, highlighting its strong growth potential in the senior housing market.
- Welltower Growth Highlights: Welltower, Inc. (WELL) has risen 11% since November 6, reporting a 28% year-over-year growth in funds from operations and achieving over 20% same-store net operating income growth for 13 consecutive quarters, demonstrating its sustained strong performance in the senior housing sector.
- Exxon Mobil Strong Rebound: Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) has increased by 33% since our last recommendation, with oil prices soaring from $58 to $100, pushing its trailing PE ratio from 17x to 23x, showcasing the robust recovery of energy stocks and investor confidence.
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