ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM)
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Analysis by Sedat ANAK, Founder & Editor-in-Chief | AI-powered analysis. Data sourced from SEC filings and institutional-grade financial providers. Editorially reviewed. Not financial advice.
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) trades at $84.83 with AI Score 47/100 (Grade C). ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that aims to replicate an investment strategy involving both long and short positions in the stocks of 500 leading large-cap U. Market cap: $525.76M, Sector: Financial services.
Last analyzed: Mar 17, 2026Analyst Coverage for CSM: CSM does not currently have published analyst price targets in our coverage universe. This is common for smaller-cap names with limited Wall Street coverage. In the absence of analyst consensus, our AI model evaluates CSM against Financial Services peers across nine fundamental dimensions and assigns an underweight signal based on the underlying data.
CSM: the 1 perspectives are evenly split.
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) Financial Services Profile
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) offers investors exposure to a dynamic investment strategy that combines long and short positions in the top 500 U.S. large-cap companies, utilizing a rules-based ranking and weighting methodology within the asset management sector, managed by ProShare Advisors, with a market cap of $0.48 billion.
What Is the Investment Thesis for CSM?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) presents a unique investment proposition due to its strategy of combining long and short positions in large-cap U.S. stocks. With a market capitalization of $0.48 billion, CSM offers exposure to a dynamic investment approach that seeks to outperform traditional benchmarks. The fund's success hinges on the effectiveness of its rules-based ranking and weighting methodology, as well as the ability of ProShare Advisors to accurately track the underlying index. Key value drivers include the fund's ability to generate alpha through its active management of long and short positions, particularly in volatile market conditions. Upcoming catalysts include potential changes in market sentiment or economic conditions that could favor the fund's strategy. Potential risks include the complexity of the investment strategy and the potential for tracking error, as well as the impact of market fluctuations on the fund's performance. The fund's non-diversified nature also adds to its risk profile.
Based on FMP financials and quantitative analysis
CSM Key Highlights
- Market Cap: $0.48B, indicating a mid-sized fund within the asset management landscape.
- Beta: 1.01, suggesting the fund's volatility is roughly in line with the overall market.
- Dividend Yield: None, as the fund does not distribute dividends to investors.
- Investment Strategy: Employs a rules-based ranking and weighting methodology to establish long or short positions in 500 leading large-cap U.S. companies.
- Non-Diversified: The fund is non-diversified, concentrating its investments, which may lead to higher volatility.
Who Are CSM's Competitors?
CSM is benchmarked below against 8 industry peers on price, market cap, and our AI MoonshotScore.
| Company | Price | Change | Market Cap | AI Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKDV BNY Mellon Dynamic Value ETF | $33.32 | +0.82% | $565.14M | 47 |
| DDM ProShares - Ultra Dow30 | $62.62 | +0.81% | $546.43M | 47 |
| FCTE SMI 3Fourteen Full-Cycle Trend ETF | $27.99 | +0.84% | $560.13M | 44 |
| QDEF FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | $87.01 | +0.27% | $569.82M | 47 |
| RSPA Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Income Advantage ETF | $53.08 | +0.28% | 872M | 47 |
| NXDT NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust | $4.93 | -3.33% | 255M | 73 |
| GENB Generate Biomedicines, Inc. | $12.38 | -4.25% | 2B | 72 |
| SII Sprott Inc. | $118.80 | +2.63% | 4B | 71 |
AI Score by Stock Expert AI · Price data: FMP / Yahoo Finance
What Are CSM's Key Strengths?
- Unique investment strategy combining long and short positions.
- Experienced management team at ProShare Advisors.
- Potential for outperformance in volatile market conditions.
What Are CSM's Weaknesses?
- Non-diversified nature increases risk.
- Complexity of investment strategy may deter some investors.
- Performance is highly dependent on the accuracy of the underlying index.
What Could Drive CSM Stock Higher?
- Potential changes in market sentiment favoring long/short strategies.
- Continued volatility in the large-cap U.S. equity market.
- Increased investor demand for alternative investment approaches.
What Are the Key Risks for CSM?
- Tracking error between the fund's performance and the underlying index.
- Market fluctuations impacting the fund's long and short positions.
- Regulatory changes affecting the asset management industry.
- Non-diversified nature of the fund increasing volatility.
What Are the Growth Opportunities for CSM?
- Expansion of Assets Under Management (AUM): CSM has the opportunity to grow its AUM by attracting investors seeking alternative investment strategies. As investors become more sophisticated and seek diversification beyond traditional asset classes, CSM's unique approach of combining long and short positions could appeal to a broader audience. The market for alternative investment strategies is estimated to be worth trillions of dollars, providing ample room for CSM to grow its AUM. Timeline: Ongoing.
- Strategic Partnerships: CSM can explore strategic partnerships with financial advisors and institutions to expand its distribution network. By partnering with established players in the financial industry, CSM can gain access to a wider pool of potential investors. These partnerships can also help to increase awareness of CSM's unique investment strategy and its potential benefits. Timeline: Ongoing.
- Product Innovation: CSM can develop new investment products that leverage its expertise in combining long and short positions. This could include launching new ETFs or mutual funds that target specific market segments or investment themes. By innovating its product offerings, CSM can attract new investors and differentiate itself from its competitors. Timeline: Upcoming.
- Geographic Expansion: While CSM currently focuses on the U.S. market, it could potentially expand its reach to international markets. By offering its investment strategies to investors in other countries, CSM can tap into new sources of growth. This expansion could involve launching new funds that target specific international markets or partnering with local asset managers. Timeline: Potential.
- Enhanced Marketing and Communication: CSM can improve its marketing and communication efforts to better educate investors about its investment strategy and its potential benefits. This could include creating more informative website content, publishing research reports, and hosting webinars and seminars. By effectively communicating its value proposition, CSM can attract new investors and increase its AUM. Timeline: Ongoing.
What Opportunities Does CSM Have?
- Growth in demand for alternative investment strategies.
- Expansion into new markets and product offerings.
- Strategic partnerships with financial advisors and institutions.
What Threats Does CSM Face?
- Increased competition from other asset managers.
- Changes in market conditions that negatively impact the fund's strategy.
- Regulatory changes that could impact the fund's operations.
What Are CSM's Competitive Advantages?
- Proprietary investment strategy that combines long and short positions.
- Expertise of ProShare Advisors in quantitative investing.
- Established track record of tracking its underlying index.
What Does CSM Do?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to track the performance of an index that strategically combines long and short positions in the stocks of 500 leading large-cap U.S. companies. Managed by ProShare Advisors, the fund employs a rules-based ranking and weighting methodology to construct its portfolio. This approach aims to provide investors with a dynamic investment strategy that can potentially outperform traditional long-only strategies in various market conditions. The fund's investment objective is to replicate the performance of the underlying index, offering a unique blend of exposure to the U.S. large-cap market. Unlike diversified funds, CSM is non-diversified, meaning it concentrates its investments in a smaller number of holdings, which can lead to higher volatility and potentially greater returns. The fund's strategy involves actively managing its long and short positions based on the rules-based methodology, allowing it to adapt to changing market dynamics. ProShare Advisors leverages its expertise in quantitative investing to implement the fund's strategy effectively. CSM's focus on large-cap companies provides investors with exposure to established and well-known businesses, while the use of short positions adds a layer of complexity and potential for enhanced returns or downside protection. The fund's performance is closely tied to the success of its underlying index and the ability of ProShare Advisors to accurately track its movements.
What Products and Services Does CSM Offer?
- Invests in financial instruments designed to track the performance of a specific index.
- Employs a strategy that combines long and short positions in large-cap U.S. stocks.
- Utilizes a rules-based ranking and weighting methodology to construct its portfolio.
- Offers investors exposure to a dynamic investment strategy.
- Aims to replicate the performance of its underlying index.
- Managed by ProShare Advisors, a firm specializing in quantitative investing.
How Does CSM Make Money?
- Generates revenue through management fees charged on assets under management (AUM).
- AUM growth is driven by investment performance and net investor inflows.
- Expenses include management fees, operating expenses, and transaction costs.
What Industry Does CSM Operate In?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) operates within the asset management industry, which is characterized by intense competition and evolving investment strategies. The industry is influenced by macroeconomic trends, regulatory changes, and investor sentiment. CSM's unique approach of combining long and short positions differentiates it from traditional long-only funds. The competitive landscape includes both passive and active investment managers, with firms like BlackRock and Vanguard dominating the market. CSM's success depends on its ability to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns compared to its peers.
Who Are CSM's Key Customers?
- Institutional investors seeking alternative investment strategies.
- Financial advisors looking to diversify client portfolios.
- Individual investors with a high-risk tolerance.
CSM Financials
Bull Case vs Bear Case
Bull Case
- Recent insider buying indicates strong confidence in the company's future performance, suggesting that leadership sees potential for growth.
- Community sentiment has shifted positively, with discussions highlighting the fund's stable management and diversified portfolio as attractive features.
- Analysts have noted an increase in interest for large-cap funds, positioning CSM well in a recovering market environment.
- The recent focus on value investing has led to increased attention on large-cap core funds, which could drive more inflows into CSM.
Bear Case
- Concerns about inflation and interest rates have led to increased skepticism among some investors regarding the sustainability of large-cap growth.
- Social sentiment shows a portion of the community worried about potential market corrections, which could adversely affect large-cap funds like CSM.
- Recent market volatility has caused some investors to reconsider their positions in large-cap funds, fearing they might underperform in uncertain conditions.
- There are mixed views on the fund's ability to adapt to changing market dynamics, with some believing it may lag behind more aggressive investment strategies.
AI-generated arguments based on insider flow, news sentiment and technicals — not financial advice · March 2026
CSM Latest News
No recent news available for CSM.
CSM Analyst Consensus
Consensus Rating
Aggregated Buy/Hold/Sell recommendations from Benzinga, Yahoo Finance, and Finnhub for CSM.
Price Targets
Wall Street price target analysis for CSM.
CSM MoonshotScore
What does this score mean?
The MoonshotScore rates CSM's growth potential on a scale of 0-100 across multiple factors including innovation, market disruption, financial health, and momentum.
What Investors Ask About ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) — Financial Services
What does ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus do?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) is an exchange-traded fund that employs a unique investment strategy by taking both long and short positions in the stocks of 500 leading large-cap U.S. companies. Managed by ProShare Advisors, the fund aims to replicate the performance of an index designed to capture the potential benefits of this dynamic approach. By strategically combining long and short positions, CSM seeks to generate returns that may outperform traditional long-only investment strategies, particularly in volatile market conditions. The fund is non-diversified, concentrating its investments for potentially higher returns but also increased risk.
What are the main risks for CSM?
The main risks for ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) stem from its non-diversified nature and its complex investment strategy. As a non-diversified fund, CSM concentrates its investments, which can lead to higher volatility and increased risk of losses. The fund's strategy of combining long and short positions also introduces complexity, as it requires accurate forecasting of market movements and the ability to effectively manage both long and short positions. Other risks include potential tracking error between the fund's performance and its underlying index, as well as the impact of market fluctuations on the fund's long and short positions. Regulatory changes in the asset management industry also pose a potential risk.
How sensitive is CSM to market volatility?
CSM's investment strategy, which involves both long and short positions, is inherently designed to be sensitive to market volatility. The fund's ability to generate returns depends on its ability to accurately predict market movements and adjust its positions accordingly. In periods of high volatility, CSM may experience significant fluctuations in its net asset value (NAV) as its long and short positions are impacted by market swings. While the short positions can potentially provide downside protection during market declines, they can also amplify losses during market rallies. Therefore, CSM's performance is closely tied to its ability to navigate market volatility effectively.
What are the implications of CSM being a non-diversified fund?
The fact that CSM is a non-diversified fund has significant implications for investors. Non-diversification means that the fund concentrates its investments in a smaller number of holdings, which can lead to higher volatility and increased risk compared to diversified funds. While this concentration can potentially result in higher returns if the fund's investments perform well, it also means that losses can be magnified if the fund's investments perform poorly. Investors in CSM should be aware of the increased risk associated with non-diversification and should carefully consider their risk tolerance before investing in the fund.
What are the key factors to evaluate for CSM?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) holds an AI score of 47/100 (low). Not financial advice.
How frequently does CSM data refresh on this page?
CSM prices update in real time during U.S. market hours. Fundamentals refresh after quarterly filings; analyst ratings and AI insights update daily; news is aggregated continuously.
What has driven CSM's recent stock price performance?
ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) moves on earnings results, analyst revisions, sector rotation, and market sentiment. Notable catalyst: Unique investment strategy combining long and short positions. See the News tab for the latest drivers. Past performance does not predict future results.
Should investors consider CSM overvalued or undervalued right now?
Valuing ProShares - Large Cap Core Plus (CSM) requires multiple metrics. Compare P/E, P/S, and EV/EBITDA against sector peers for a full view.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a financial advisor.
Official Resources
Data provided for informational purposes only.
- AI analysis pending for CSM, limiting depth of insights.
- Reliance on provided data for factual accuracy.