Weitz's ETF Success Signals Shift in Fixed Income Investing

OMAHA, NE – January 15, 2026 – In a market increasingly crowded with investment giants, Omaha-based Weitz Investment Management has demonstrated that a focused strategy and a proven track record can still make a significant impact. The firm’s Weitz Core Plus Bond ETF (WCPB) has surged past the $100 million assets under management (AUM) milestone in under five months, a rapid ascent for a new actively managed exchange-traded fund.

Since its launch on August 12, 2025, the fund has not only crossed the crucial $100 million threshold but has continued to attract capital, with current assets now approaching $140 million. This swift adoption by financial advisors highlights a powerful current reshaping the investment landscape: a growing preference for actively managed fixed income strategies delivered within the modern, transparent ETF wrapper.

“Crossing the $100 million mark is an important indicator of scale for an ETF and reaching it in less than five months is encouraging,” said Lori Dorsey, Chief Client Officer at Weitz. “The continued growth beyond that milestone reflects confidence in our fixed income team and in the consistency of our investment process across structures.”

The Active Advantage in a Volatile Market

Weitz's success with WCPB is not an isolated event but rather a prime example of a much larger industry trend. The actively managed ETF market in the United States has experienced explosive growth, soaring past $1 trillion in AUM in 2025. Data shows that active strategies grew more than five times faster than their passive counterparts last year, with fixed income strategies being a primary beneficiary of this investor appetite.

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, active strategies captured over half of all new money flowing into fixed income ETFs, despite making up less than a quarter of the total assets in the category. Globally, about one-third of all fixed income ETF flows are now directed toward active funds, a dramatic increase from just 10% five years ago. Projections suggest that active fixed income ETFs could command as much as $1.7 trillion in AUM by 2030 if current trends hold.

This pivot is largely driven by financial advisors seeking more nimble tools to navigate the complexities of today's bond market. After years of near-zero interest rates, the recent environment of fluctuating rates, persistent inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty has exposed the limitations of passive, index-tracking bond funds. Active managers, by contrast, possess the flexibility to adjust portfolio duration, credit quality, and sector exposure in real-time. They can capitalize on market inefficiencies and access a broader universe of securities—such as lower-rated or unrated bonds—that may offer attractive risk-adjusted returns but are often excluded from major indexes.

Surveys of financial professionals confirm this shift in sentiment. A recent global ETF survey revealed that over 80% of investors plan to increase their allocation to actively managed bond ETFs. For many, the combination of professional oversight with the structural benefits of an ETF—intraday tradability, cost-effectiveness, and daily portfolio transparency—presents a compelling alternative to both traditional mutual funds and passive ETFs.

A Boutique Firm's Proven Process

For Weitz Investment Management, the launch of WCPB represents a strategic extension of its core competency, not a departure from it. Founded by Wally Weitz in 1983, the boutique firm has cultivated a reputation for its disciplined, bottom-up fundamental research over four decades. The firm manages a total of $5.6 billion in fixed income assets, guided by a consistent philosophy that transcends product wrappers.

The success of the new ETF is built upon the established track record of its mutual fund counterpart, the Weitz Core Plus Income Fund (WCPBX). That fund boasts a five-star rating from Morningstar and has earned back-to-back LSEG Lipper Fund Awards for outstanding performance in 2024 and 2025. This history provides a foundation of trust for advisors considering the firm's newer ETF offerings.

Weitz emphasizes that the same investment team and rigorous process drive both the mutual funds and the ETFs. “From an investment standpoint, the ETF allows us to apply the same active, research-driven approach we’ve used across our fixed income strategies for years,” stated Nolan Anderson, Co-Head of Fixed Income at Weitz. “Whether capital is coming through a mutual fund or an ETF, our focus is on identifying attractive risk-adjusted opportunities across sectors and positioning portfolios thoughtfully as market conditions evolve.”

This consistency is key to the firm’s value proposition. By offering its time-tested strategy in an ETF format, Weitz provides advisors with a new access point that meets modern demands for transparency and flexibility without compromising the underlying investment engine.

Competing in a Field of Giants

The rapid growth of WCPB is particularly noteworthy given the competitive landscape of the active fixed income ETF space, which is heavily populated by some of the largest asset managers in the world. Powerhouses like BlackRock (iShares), PIMCO, J.P. Morgan, and Fidelity have launched highly successful products that have attracted billions in assets.

For instance, established funds like the Fidelity Total Bond ETF (FBND) and newer entrants like the PIMCO Multisector Bond Active ETF (PYLD) and iShares Flexible Income Active ETF (BINC) each gathered well over a billion dollars in new assets in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

Against this backdrop, Weitz’s ability to attract nearly $140 million in under five months for a new product demonstrates that there is ample room for specialized, high-conviction managers. The firm's success suggests that advisors are not just chasing scale but are also seeking differentiated strategies from firms with deep expertise and a consistent, research-driven process. The achievement validates the idea that a strong performance history and a clear investment philosophy can carve out a successful niche, even when competing with firms that have massive distribution networks and marketing budgets.

Building a Purpose-Built ETF Platform

The launch of WCPB is a cornerstone of a broader, deliberate strategy by Weitz to build out its ETF offerings in response to clear advisor demand. The firm followed up its initial success by launching the Weitz Multisector Bond ETF (WMSB) in November 2025, further diversifying its fixed income ETF lineup.

Looking ahead, Weitz has signaled its intention to continue this expansion, with plans to introduce additional actively managed fixed income ETFs in 2026. This measured approach to product development—focusing on the firm's core strengths in fixed income—is designed to meet the evolving needs of its clients while maintaining the integrity of its investment process. By thoughtfully translating its established expertise into the ETF format, Weitz is positioning itself not just as a participant, but as a dedicated and growing presence in the new era of active management.