In a move that marks the expansion of its product offering on the Old Continent, Columbia Threadneedle Investments has obtained approval from the Central Bank of Ireland for a new range of four active equity ETFs.
Sign up to our free newsletters
By ETFWorld.co.uk
Christine Cantrell, Head of Active ETFs, EMEA Distribution, at Columbia Threadneedle
Building on its US success, the QR Series promises European investors transparent, efficient, and high-conviction solutions.
The European Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) landscape is enriched by a new active proposition. Columbia Threadneedle Investments has announced it has received regulatory approval to launch the CT QR Series, a range of four active equity ETFs dedicated to US, European, Global, and Emerging Markets. This launch represents a significant step in the group’s global growth strategy.
Full Range Approved, Listings Given the Green Light
The authorization from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) gives the go-ahead for the offering of the following active UCITS ETFs:
CT QR Series US Equity Active UCITS ETF
CT QR Series European Equity Active UCITS ETF
CT QR Series Global Equity Active UCITS ETF
CT QR Series Emerging Markets Equity Active UCITS ETF
The launch plan will be rolled out in phases. It will begin with the listing of the US and Europe ETFs on the Frankfurt (Deutsche Börse Xetra) and Zurich (SIX Swiss Exchange) stock exchanges, followed shortly by the London Stock Exchange. In the subsequent weeks, it will be the turn of the Global and Emerging Markets ETFs, which will complete the initial offering.
A Hybrid Investment Strategy: Quantitative and Fundamental
The heart of the QR Series lies in its investment process, which combines quantitative analysis with fundamental research. The portfolios will be managed by Christopher Lo, Senior Portfolio Manager, who will apply the rigorous approach already tested in the United States to Europe. This process is articulated in three distinct phases:
Research: Stock selection leverages quantitative models with over 20 years of experience and in-depth fundamental research conducted by a global team of over 200 analysts, aiming to identify stocks with the highest potential for outperformance.
Ranking: Stocks are ranked on a scale from “strong buy” to “strong sell.” Those expected to underperform are excluded, narrowing the investable universe by up to two-thirds. The resulting portfolio, aligned with Article 8 of the SFDR regulation, is therefore composed only of stocks towards which the team has a high conviction.
Rebalancing: Portfolio construction aims to minimize sector and geographic biases, allowing stock selection to be the primary driver of performance (alpha). Rebalancing occurs twice a year to contain costs, supplemented by daily reviews to promptly react to any potential rating downgrades.
This methodology produces concentrated portfolios, composed of approximately 35% of the stocks in the reference index, with an expected tracking error between 2% and 4%. As Christopher Lo emphasized: “We do not target a specific tracking error; we generate alpha through stock selection.”
Reactions from Key Figures
Representatives from Columbia Threadneedle and its partners expressed great satisfaction with the launch, highlighting its strategic value.
Michaela Collet Jackson, Head of EMEA Distribution at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, commented: “Today is an important moment for Columbia Threadneedle, as we begin to concretely reap the fruits of our growth strategy. Expanding the active ETF offering to Europe is a natural evolution of the global product range development strategy, which is founded on our experience in the United States, and is aimed at meeting growing client demand for transparent, cost-efficient, and truly active solutions.”
Matteo Andreetto, Head of Intermediary Client Coverage, Europe, at State Street Investment Management, stated: “Demand for ETFs continues to grow both in Europe and globally, demonstrating the increasing interest in these instruments as efficient investment solutions. We are proud to support Columbia Threadneedle’s launch through our ETF as a Service platform.”
Christine Cantrell, Head of Active ETFs, EMEA Distribution, at Columbia Threadneedle, added: “Investors are increasingly looking for strategies that combine return potential with transparency, liquidity, and cost efficiency, reflecting smarter, client-oriented innovation. Our new range of active UCITS-compliant ETFs offers just that: the proven alpha of Columbia Threadneedle’s US strategies, now adapted to meet the regulatory and portfolio needs of European investors.”
Details of the CT QR Series ETFs
The following table summarizes the main characteristics of the four ETFs, compiled by integrating information from the press release with listing data.
| ETF Name | Investment Objective | Ticker Code | (Planned) Exchanges | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT QR Series US Equity Active UCITS ETF | US Equity | QRUS | Xetra, SIX, London | Russell 1000 |
| CT QR Series European Equity Active UCITS ETF | European Equity | QRUE | Xetra, SIX, London | MSCI Europe |
| CT QR Series Global Equity Active UCITS ETF | Global Equity | QRGE | Xetra, SIX, London | MSCI ACWI |
| CT QR Series Emerging Markets Equity Active UCITS ETF | Emerging Markets Equity | QRME | Xetra, SIX, London | MSCI Emerging Markets |
The launch of the QR Series marks an important chapter for Columbia Threadneedle in Europe, offering investors differentiated access to major equity markets through a solution that combines the discipline of quantitative models, the depth of fundamental research, and the operational efficiency of ETFs.
Source: ETFWorld
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
