ETF Evaluator:
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF ()
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(as of Aug 13)
Best Performing in Miscellaneous Sector Over the Last Year
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ETF Details
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF Overview
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF (NICO) is an actively managed Sector Equity Miscellaneous Sector exchange-traded fund (ETF). Hexis Management, LLC launched the ETF in 2026.
The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in companies that have at least 50% of their revenue attributable to the global tobacco and nicotine sectors (“Tobacco/Nicotine Companies”). It is non-diversified.
About Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF (NICO)
There are 5 members of the management team with an average tenure of 0.24 years: Dustin Lewellyn (2026), Jonathan Fell (2026), Ernesto Tong (2026), Christine Johanson (2026) and Pieter Vorster (2026). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has 22 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 124.1% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a nondiversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the Sector Equity ETF group. Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has 53.8% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 30.6% There is 53.8% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has 2.0% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $1 million in total assets, which is below the $294 million average for the Miscellaneous Sector category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
NICO Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF expense ratio is above average compared to funds in the Miscellaneous Sector category. Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has an expense ratio of 0.70%, which is 3% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a C. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 0%, which indicates that it holds its assets around /years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 45% for the Miscellaneous Sector category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF returned 2.0%, which earned it a grade of A, as the Miscellaneous Sector category had an average return of -8.1%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.
Hexis Active Nicotine Engagement ETF has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 1.09% category average.
The fund normally distributes its income quarterly and its capital gains annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
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NICO Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| NICO Return (NAV) | 2.0% | na | na | na | na | na |
| NICO Return (Price) | 1.7% | na | na | na | na | na |
| NAV +/- Price Return | 0.281% | na | na | na | na | na |
| Miscellaneous Sector Avg | -8.1% | -9.7% | 26.9% | 3.5% | -9.1% | 5.3% |
| NICO Grade (NAV) | A | na | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category (NAV) | 10.0% | na | na | na | na | na |
| NICO Tax-Cost Ratio | na | na | na | na | na | na |
NICO Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| NICO Return (NAV) | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| NICO Return (Price) | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| NAV +/- Price Ret | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| Miscellaneous Sector Avg | 4.4% | 30.9% | -12.7% | -3.8% | -34.7% | 9.9% | 62.0% | 25.7% | -13.2% | 27.3% | 0.5% |
| NICO Grade (NAV) | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na | na |
| Risk Measures | |
| Beta: | na |
| R-Squared: | na |
| Standard Deviation: | na |
| Category Risk Index: | na |
| Category Risk Rating: | |
| Total Risk Index: | na |
| Total Risk Rating: | |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Yield: | -- |
| Total Assets: | $ 2 Mil |
| Share Class Assets: | $ 2 Mil |
| Turnover: | na |
| Expense Ratio: | 0.70% |
| Index Fund: | No |
| Index Tracked: | N/A |
| Index Weighting: | 100% |
| Leveraged: | No |
| Socially Responsible Fund: | No |
| Capital Gains Distribution Frequency: | Annually |
| Income Distribution Frequency: | Quarterly |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 5 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 0.2 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 0.2 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Lewellyn Dustin (2026), Fell Jonathan (2026), Tong Ernesto (2026), Johanson Christine (2026), Vorster Pieter (2026) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 7/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 22 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 124.1% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | Yes |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 53.8% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 30.6% |
| Foreign Stock: | 53.8% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 13.7% |
| Cash: | 2.0% |
Purchase Information
| Legal Structure: | Open Ended Investment Company |
| Fund Family: | Hexis Management, LLC |
| Phone Number: | 800-617-0004 |
| Website: | |
| Inception Date: | May 5, 2026 |
Expenses and Fees
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.70% (Rating: Above Avg) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.73% |
