Shifting Tides: A Comparison of Laurel Wealth Advisors' Q3 2022 vs. Q4 2022 13F Holdings

As we move towards the end of 2022, investors are keeping a close eye on how fund holdings are changing. Recently, Laurel Wealth Advisors, Inc. reported their Q3 2022 vs. Q4 2022 13F holdings, and the results are intriguing. While there were some expected changes in popular stocks like Apple and Microsoft, the most notable changes occurred in ETFs and bonds.

Let's take a closer look at some of the most significant shifts in Laurel Wealth Advisors' investments:

Shift from Tech to Bond ETFs:

One of the most unusual moves made by Laurel Wealth Advisors this quarter was reducing their position in the Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) ETF from 89,542 shares to 88,267 shares. While this may not seem significant, the overall trend of shifting from tech to bond ETFs is notable. Laurel Wealth Advisors increased their position in the iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (SHYG) by 42.1% and the ProShares TR ETF (REGL) by 8.6%. Additionally, they opened a new position in the Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEB), purchasing 192,017 shares.

First Trust Exchange-Traded Funds:

Another noticeable move was the significant increase in Laurel Wealth Advisors' holdings in First Trust Exchange-Traded Funds. They increased their position in the First Trust Large Cap Value AlphaDEX Fund (FTA) by 14.6%. They also opened a new position in the First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY), purchasing 116,908 shares. However, they decreased their position in the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI (FTGC) by a whopping 43.2%.

Top Holdings:

Laurel Wealth Advisors' top holdings were relatively stable this quarter, with only a few minor changes. Their top three holdings continued to be Apple Inc., Microsoft, and the First Trust Indxx NextG ETF (NXTG). However, they did increase their position in the Chevron Corp New COM (CVX) by 28.5%, while decreasing their position in the Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) by 24.3%.

Emerging Markets:

Laurel Wealth Advisors' investment in emerging markets was also worth noting. They opened a new position in the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO), purchasing 324,478 shares. This ETF seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, making it a relatively stable investment in an area of the market with high growth potential.

Conclusion:

As we can see, Laurel Wealth Advisors made some unexpected moves in their fund holdings this quarter, including a shift from tech to bond ETFs and an increase in First Trust Exchange-Traded Funds. Despite these changes, however, their top holdings remain relatively stable, and they are showing interest in emerging markets. Investors will continue to monitor the moves of Laurel Wealth Advisors and other funds as we move towards the end of 2022.