Avantis Debuts Two Active Equity Strategies to Diversify ETF Lineup

Avantis Investors, an investment platform by American Century Investments, has launched two new exchange-traded funds featuring transparent active equity management approaches. The Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF (AVIE) and the Avantis All Equity Markets ETF (AVGE) will begin trading on NYSE Arca, both designed to deliver long-term capital appreciation through actively managed portfolios rather than passive index tracking.

“Avantis exists to take commonsense investment principles and incorporate the latest academic research to build investment strategies,” explained Eduardo Repetto, CIO of Avantis, emphasizing the company’s research-driven philosophy. “This framework determines how we build our strategies, but the tremendous relationships we’ve formed with our clients over the last three years sets the direction for what we build.”

Inflation-Protected Equity Returns with Active Management

AVIE targets investors seeking equity-like returns while protecting against inflationary pressures. The active equity strategy concentrates on industries with proven historical or expected long-term correlation to inflation cycles, including financial services, petroleum and natural gas extraction, metals, and mining operations. By actively selecting securities in these sectors, the fund aims to outperform during periods of rising prices while maintaining equity exposure.

Broad Equity Exposure Through Active Fund-of-Funds Approach

AVGE represents Avantis’ inaugural “fund of funds” strategy, offering a simplified solution for investors wanting total equity market exposure without sacrificing active management principles. Rather than investing directly in individual stocks, AVGE allocates across other Avantis equity ETFs while maintaining geographic diversification and a strategic U.S. home bias. The approach emphasizes companies expected to deliver higher returns than traditional market-cap-weighted passive indices.

“We built AVIE to address the needs of investors who are sensitive to inflation but still want equity-like returns,” Repetto noted. “AVGE, as our first fund of funds, fills a gap for clients looking for a single option with total equity market exposure and an emphasis on higher expected returns”—a direct response to growing demand for streamlined active equity solutions.

Leadership Team & Competitive Pricing

The two funds will be co-managed by Repetto alongside senior portfolio managers Mitchell Firestein, Daniel Ong, and Ted Randall, plus associate portfolio manager Matthew Dubin. AVIE carries a total annual operating expense ratio of 0.25%, while AVGE costs 0.23%—fee structures designed to remain competitive within the active management space.

Market Recognition for Active Equity Strategy

Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi, acknowledged Avantis’ rapid market penetration: “In just three short years, Avantis successfully disrupted the active ETF space and has become a leading provider of actively managed ETFs with $11 billion in assets.” He added that these new offerings “further build out its diverse lineup and provide more tools for advisors with asset allocation objectives for a modest fee.”

The expansion reinforces Avantis’ position in the actively managed ETF market, combining academic rigor with responsive product development. Both new funds join Avantis’ existing suite spanning equities, fixed income, and real estate strategies—offering investors multiple paths to active equity exposure tailored to specific investment objectives and market conditions.