About ProShares
Making complex strategies simple to execute
ProShares take exchange traded funds (ETFs) to the next level, making it easy to implement complex investment strategies in a single trade. Like ordinary ETFs, ProShares offer a simple way to gain exposure to market indexes. But ProShares also provide innovative new ways to manage risk and enhance return potential in your portfolios.
ProShares give you the versatility you need to make the most of new opportunities—in both up and down markets. All as easily as trading a stock. Read about the risks of ProShares.
Short ProShares are the only ETFs designed to go up when their indexes that underlie the benchmarks go down (and vice versa). Use them to seek profit in a market downturn or hedge an investment
Ultra Pro Shares
Ultra ProShares are the only ETFs designed to double the daily performance of their indexes that underlie the benchmarks (before fees and expenses). Use them to magnify the impact of your investment dollar.
ProShare Advisors LLC serves as the investment advisor to ProShares exchange traded funds (ETFs) and is part of ProFunds Group. In addition to ProShares ETFs, ProFunds Group manages ProFunds mutual funds, the nation’s largest lineup of indexed mutual funds. 1 Since 1997, ProFunds has provided mutual fund investors with easier access to sophisticated investment strategies, with offerings that include mutual funds that seek to magnify daily index performance and funds that seek to increase in value when markets decline.
ProFunds Group describes the portfolio managers common to ProFund Advisors LLC, advisor to ProFunds mutual funds, and ProShare Advisors LLC, advisor to ProShares ETFs.
Short ProShares
Q: What are Short ProShares?
A: They are the first exchange traded funds (ETFs) specifically designed to go up when markets go down. Short ProShares are built to move in the opposite direction of the markets. Here’s how they work: if the S&P 500 ® Index drops 1% in a day, Short S&P500 ® ProShares should gain 1% that day (before fees and expenses). UltraShort ProShares double the effect. UltraShort S&P500 ® ProShares should gain 2% (before fees and expenses) if the index slips 1% in a day.
On the flip side, Short ProShares will lose value if markets rise. If the S&P 500 gains 1% in a day, Short S&P500 ProShares should lose 1%, and UltraShort S&P500 ProShares should lose 2% (again, before fees and expenses). Short ProShares and UltraShort ProShares make it simple for you to execute sophisticated strategies designed to manage risk or enhance return potential.
Q: How are Short ProShares different from short selling?
A: Short selling a stock or ETF requires a margin account. Short ProShares don’t. They allow you to get short exposure without the hassles–or expense–of a margin account. It’s as simple as buying a stock.
Short ProShares Can Help You Avoid the Hassles of Margin
Q: Who might benefit from using Short ProShares?
A: Short ProShares may help savvy investors who want to employ sophisticated strategies, such as hedging against market declines or seeking profit from overvalued markets, but don’t want to deal with the hassles—or expense—of a margin account. Even if you’re an old hand at short selling, Short ProShares may provide you with an easier way to get short exposure, without the need for a margin account.
Q: How can I use Short ProShares in my portfolio?
A: Short ProShares make it simple for sophisticated investors to try to hedge against downturns or seek profit when markets fall.
Hedge against declines. Let’s say you believe in the long-term prospects of your small-cap investment but think the small-cap market is temporarily overvalued. Instead of selling your holdings (which may involve tax consequences and transaction costs), you may want to create a hedge to attempt to protect your small-cap investment in the short term.
Short ProShares allow you to create the hedge as simply as buying a stock. There’s no need for a margin account. So, if your small-cap investment has a strong correlation to the Russell 2000 ® Index, you could buy Short Russell2000 ProShares, which are designed to move in the opposite direction of the Russell 2000. UltraShort Russell2000 ProShares would allow you to increase your hedge’s exposure with no additional investment. If the Russell 2000 declines, your hedge should help offset losses in your small-cap investment.
Note that if the Russell 2000 rises while you hold your ProShares position, your hedge will actually result in a loss. UltraShort ProShares may require you to make adjustments to your holdings to maintain a specific short exposure. Also, remember that ProShares have fees, expenses and tax consequences of their own.
Seek profit from downturns. Short ProShares provide a simple way to try to seek profit from a market segment that you think is poised to fall. For example, if you think Chinese stocks are due for a pullback, you could try to take advantage of it by purchasing UltraShort FTSE/Xinhua 25 ProShares.
Q: What market segments can I access with Short ProShares?
A: Short ProShares are designed to provide short exposure to a variety of market indexes as broad as the S&P 500 or as narrow as the FTSE/Xinhua China 25. Within this wide range of choices, ProShares offer short exposure to style, sector and international market indexes:
- Short MarketCap ProShares cover six broad market indexes like the NASDAQ-100 ® , S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average™.
- Short Style ProShares provide short exposure to six Russell value and growth indexes, in large-, mid- and small-cap flavors.
- Short Sector ProShares focus on 11 narrow slices of the market, including real estate, health care, financials and oil and gas.
- Short International ProShares branch out to four foreign market indexes, including MSCI EAFE, MSCI Emerging Markets and single countries, such as China.
All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee that any ProShares ETF will achieve its investment objective. Short ProShares should lose value when their market indexes rise, and they entail certain risks, including, in some or all cases, aggressive investment technique, inverse correlation, and market price variance risks, all of which can increase volatility and decrease performance. ProShares are not diversified investments. Investments in smaller companies and narrowly focused investments, including single country funds, typically exhibit higher volatility. International investments may also involve risk from unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, differences in generally accepted accounting principles and economic or political instability. In emerging markets, all these risks are heightened, and lower trading volumes may occur. Please see the prospectus for a more complete description of these risks.
