The mid-cap stocks it tracks hold the potential for profit — but the opportunity for growth depends largely on where the company is in its life cycle.
The S&P MidCap 400 is an index composed of 400 US mid-cap stocks — stocks with a valuation between $200 million and $5 billion. It’s a free-float cap-weighted index maintained by S&P Dow Jones Indexes, the same company responsible for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Since the S&P 400 is a cap-weighted index, the stocks with the highest market cap have the most impact on its performance.
There are two ways to invest in the S&P 400: stocks and ETFs. If you’re interested in a targeted investment supporting individual companies, consider purchasing stocks. If you’d prefer more comprehensive coverage of the index, look into ETFs.
To purchase stocks or ETFs, you’ll need a brokerage account. Here’s a look at the investment process:
- Select an investment platform. If you don’t already hold an account, compare trading platforms to find the brokerage that best meets your needs.
- Open and fund your account. Web-based brokerage applications can be completed online. You’ll be asked to fund your account before you can start trading.
- Purchase your securities. Use in-platform or third-party research tools to select the stocks or ETFs you’d like to purchase.
- Monitor your investments. Log in to your brokerage account to track the performance of your investments.
What stocks are in the S&P 400?
Popular stocks in the S&P 400 include:
- American Eagle Outfitters (AEO)
- AOL Inc. (AOL)
- Domino’s Pizza Inc. (DPZ)
- Fidelity National Financial Inc. (FNF)
- Footlocker Inc. (FL)
- Goodyear Tire Rubber (GT)
- Grubhub Inc. (GRUB)
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Mattel Inc. (MAT)
- New York Times Company (NYT)
- SolarEdge Tech (SEDG)
- Steel Dynamics Inc. (STLD)
- Tripadvisor Inc. (TRIP)
- Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Inc. (WH)
- Yelp Inc. (YELP)
What ETFs track the S&P 400?
Major funds that track the S&P 400 include:
- Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF (XMMO)
- Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (XMHQ)
- iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH)
- SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY)
- Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF (IVOO)
Compare brokerage accounts to find the right fit. Once you open an account, you can begin investing in stocks and ETFs.
Mid-cap stocks represent an investing sweet spot: They occupy the middle ground between newly established startups and blue-chip corporations. Companies in the mid-cap range can offer the best of both worlds.
Like small-cap stocks, they have the potential for significant growth. But they’re less volatile and more stable as a result of an already-established business model.
Investing in an index fund that focuses on mid-cap stocks is a unique opportunity that straddles growth and stability. But mid-cap stocks still have risk.
Some mid-cap stocks have plenty of growth ahead of them, while others have reached the pinnacle of their potential. Investors interested in mid-cap stocks should be wary of where the stock is in its life cycle. A mid-cap stock could be a company on the rise — or it could be a failing former large-cap stock. Before you invest, research the company you’re interested in and learn more about its history and potential.
The graph below tracks the performance of the SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) over time.
Investors interested in incorporating the S&P 400 into their portfolio can invest in individual stocks or index-tracking ETFs. But whether or not a mid-cap stock is a practical fit for your portfolio depends on where it is in its life cycle. Review investment accounts across multiple trading platforms to find the broker best suited to your investment goals.
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