The Hypatia Women CEO ETF (WCEO), launched in January 2023, reached an all-time high of $40.14, reflecting a nearly 20% gain in 2026, compared to less than 13% for the S&P 500. This performance is attributed to a broader market shift away from the dominance of a few large tech companies, predominantly led by men.
Patricia Lizarraga, managing partner of Hypatia Capital, emphasized the importance of diversification, noting that while the ETF includes companies with a market cap of at least $500 million, it has consistently outperformed its benchmark, the S&P SmallCap 600. The largest holding in the ETF is Advanced Micro Devices, led by CEO Lisa Su, which has seen its stock price more than double this year.
Lizarraga pointed out that women CEOs tend to excel in management roles, citing examples like Citigroup's Jane Fraser and General Motors' Mary Barra, who have successfully turned around their companies. Despite their success, women still lead only 11% of Fortune 500 companies.
The ETF aims to promote more women in leadership roles by showcasing their performance, although it faces challenges in distribution and availability across brokerages. Lizarraga believes that as awareness of women's performance grows, more women will be considered for CEO positions, potentially reshaping corporate leadership in the future