Two years ago, we removed a thematic fund focused on alternative energy from the Kiplinger ETF 20, the list of our favorite exchange-traded funds, and replaced it with the SPDR S&P Kensho New Economies Composite ETF (KOMP), which spreads its bets across a variety of new-new things, including green energy, drones, smart homes and electric vehicles.
Since then, the Kensho ETF has returned a cumulative 25.7%. That doesn't beat the S&P 500, which has gained 45.0%, but it's far better than the cumulative 39.6% decline in the Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW), the fund that the Kensho ETF replaced. In other words, a more diversified approach to investing in innovative technology, products and services has paid off.
