Hanwha Asset Management's PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor ETF Ranks No.1 in Overseas Equity Returns

Reflecting the global memory semiconductor supercycle driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) data center infrastructure, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that focuses its investments on core high-bandwidth memory (HBM) companies has achieved the top ranks in both short-term and long-term performance, claiming four crowns among all overseas equity products in Korea.

On August 26, Hanwha Asset Management announced that its ‘PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor’ ETF ranked first in cumulative returns across all periods—year-to-date, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years—among overseas equity funds and ETFs.

According to financial data provider FnGuide, as of August 24, this ETF’s year-to-date return reached 134.16%. Its long-term returns were equally impressive, recording 393.01% over 1 year, 444.33% over 2 years, and 666.96% over 3 years, taking the top spot for each respective period.

Since its listing in September 2022, the PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor ETF has maintained its position as the performance leader for both short-term surges in semiconductor stocks and the longer investment horizons of 1 to 3 years. This is attributed not only to the short-term theme of AI and HBM but also to its ability to capture the global memory industry’s long-term growth trends.

This product primarily invests in global top-tier memory companies leading the HBM market—such as Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Micron, and SanDisk—while also focusing on semiconductor equipment and key parts of the value chain. Recently, explosive demand for not only HBM but also general DRAM and NAND, driven by the enhancement of AI server performance, has led to the reappraisal of the memory industry from a simple cyclical asset to an essential infrastructure asset, which forms the backdrop for the ETF’s significant returns.

It is also encouraging that global memory semiconductor companies have been strengthening shareholder return policies, including dividend increases, share buybacks, and cancellations. The spread of ‘rule-based’ shareholder return policies, such as minimum dividend guarantees or those based on cumulative medium- to long-term earnings, increases predictability of cash flows and is expected to facilitate a stock price re-rating.

Kim Jungseop, Head of ETF Business Division at Hanwha Asset Management, said, “As AI investment expands, the demand structure for memory overall—including not just HBM, but also DRAM and NAND—is changing. The PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor ETF is designed to enable effective investment in this structural growth of the industry by concentrating on key companies that lead the global memory market.” He added, “Achieving the four-crown performance in all overseas equity categories in its fourth year since listing demonstrates that this ETF’s portfolio meets market demand, and that the investment strategy focusing on the growth of the global memory industry—beyond short-term stock price gains—has translated into sustained long-term results.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.