9 Newly Rated ETFs For Your Portfolio

NEW YORK (TheStreet Ratings) -- TheStreet.com Ratings initiated coverage of 21 exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, that accrued a sufficient track record of risk and performance data by the end of January 2012. Only one of the 21 newly rated exchange-traded funds start out in the 'Buy' range. Eight begin at 'Hold' while 12 earned initial grades in the 'Sell' range.

The one newly rated fund that opened for business January 2011 received our lowest possible 'Buy' rating of B-, or good. The exchange-traded fund, Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH), returned 15.7% in the last year, beating all other newly rated ETFs on a risk-adjusted return basis.

The Schwab US REIT ETF seeks to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT Index by investing in stocks that are included in the index on a narrow expense ratio of just 0.13%. Top holdings include Simon Property Group(SPG), Public Storage (PSA), and Equity Residential(EQR).

Here are the 8 additional newly rated ETFs ranked at 'Hold':

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8. ETFS Physical Asian Gold Shares

ETFS Physical Asian Gold Shares (AGOL) seeks to reflect the performance of the price of physical gold bullion. The fund seeks to provide investors with a cost effective investment in gold.

Expense Ratio: 0.39%

One Year Total Return: 28.6%

Rated "C+-" by TheStreet Ratings:

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7. SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF

SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETF (XHE) seeks to replicate the performance of an index derived from the health care equipment and supplies segment of a U.S. total market composite index. The fund generally invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities comprising the index.

Expense Ratio: 0.35%

One Year Total Return: 8.0%

Rated "C" by TheStreet Ratings:

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6. Guggenheim BulletShares 2014 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF

Guggenheim BulletShares 2014 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (BSJE) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance of a high yield corporate bond index called the BulletShares USD High Yield Corporate Bond 2014 Index. The fund has a designated year of maturity of 2014 and will terminate on or about December 31, 2014. The trailing 12-month dividend yield is an attractive 4.89%.

Expense Ratio: 0.42%

One Year Total Return: 7.3%

Rated "C" by TheStreet Ratings:

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5. Guggenheim BulletShares 2012 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF

Guggenheim BulletShares 2012 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (BSJC) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance of a high yield corporate bond index called the BulletShares USD High Yield Corporate Bond 2012 Index. The fund has a designated year of maturity of 2012 and will terminate on or about December 31, 2012. The trailing 12-month dividend yield is 3.0%.