Why One Fund Established a $30 Million Bet on This Bond ETF
Key Points
Missouri-based Larson Financial Group bought 167,756 shares of JBND in the third quarter.
The overall value of the position increased by $9.30 million from the previous period.
As of September 30, the fund reported holding 547,165 JBND shares valued at $29.63 million.
- These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›
On November 14, Missouri-based Larson Financial Group disclosed a third-quarter purchase of 167,756 shares of JBND, contributing to an estimated $9.30 million position increase.
What Happened
Larson Financial Group disclosed a purchase of 167,756 shares of JPMorgan Active Bond ETF (NYSE:JBND) in its quarterly report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, filed on November 14. The transaction brought the fund's total JBND position to 547,165 shares valued at $29.63 million as of September 30.
What Else to Know
The purchase raised JBND to 1.0% of fund AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings.
Top holdings after the filing:
- NYSEMKT:SPYM: $162.85 million (6.1% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:AAPL: $109.19 million (4.1% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:DGRW: $79.59 million (3.0% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:QGRO: $79.50 million (3.0% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:VOO: $78.98 million (3.0% of AUM)
As of Friday, JBND shares were priced at $54.00, up about 3% over the past year, compared to a 17% gain for the S&P 500.
ETF Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| AUM | $4.26 billion |
| Price (as of market close Friday) | $54.00 |
| Yield | 4.3% |
| 1-year total return | 7% |
ETF Snapshot
- JBND's investment strategy seeks to outperform the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index over a 3–5 year market cycle through active bond selection and portfolio management.
- As a matter of non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in bonds.
- The fund structure is an actively managed ETF with an annualized dividend yield of about 4%.
JPMorgan Active Bond ETF (JBND) is a large-scale, actively managed fixed income fund. The ETF aims to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns versus its benchmark by leveraging JPMorgan’s research-driven bond selection and dynamic portfolio allocation strategies. With a focus on broad diversification and active risk management, JBND is positioned to serve institutional and income-oriented investors seeking exposure to U.S. investment-grade bonds while targeting outperformance over a full market cycle.
Foolish Take
While equity markets pushed higher and most portfolios leaned further into risk, this allocation signals a deliberate pivot toward income, volatility control, and active bond selection at a moment when rates still matter.JBND is an actively managed bond ETF designed to outperform the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Index over a full market cycle by leaning into security selection and sector rotation rather than duration bets.
As of late November, the fund offered a roughly 4.4% SEC yield, backed by a diversified portfolio of more than 1,300 investment-grade holdings and an average duration just over six years. That matters for investors who want yield without swinging for credit risk. The portfolio’s heavy weighting toward Treasuries and agency mortgage-backed securities adds a strong foundation, while corporate exposure provides incremental income without drifting into junk.
More broadly, this fund sits alongside broad equity ETFs like VTI and VEA and growth stocks like Apple, suggesting it plays a stabilizing role rather than a return-chasing one. For long-term investors, the takeaway isn’t that bonds are suddenly exciting. It’s that selective, actively managed income is becoming a strategic choice again, not a placeholder.
Glossary
Actively managed ETF: An exchange-traded fund where managers select investments, aiming to outperform a benchmark index.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of assets a fund or investment firm manages on behalf of clients.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by an investment, expressed as a percentage of its current price.
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index: A widely used benchmark measuring the performance of U.S. investment-grade bonds.
Fixed income fund: A fund that primarily invests in bonds or other debt securities to provide regular income.
Reportable assets: Assets that must be disclosed in regulatory filings, typically above a certain threshold.
Market cycle: The recurring phases of growth and decline in financial markets, often spanning several years.
Risk-adjusted returns: Investment returns evaluated in relation to the amount of risk taken to achieve them.
Portfolio allocation: The process of dividing investments among different asset classes or securities.
Investment-grade bonds: Bonds rated as relatively low risk of default by credit rating agencies.
Annualized: Converted to a yearly rate based on a shorter period's results, for easier comparison.
Top holdings: The largest individual investments in a fund, ranked by their value or percentage of assets.
Where to invest $1,000 right now
When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 966%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 194% for the S&P 500.
They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2026.
Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
