PBW is a passively managed thematic ETF that seeks to track the WilderHill Clean Energy Index. The fund invests at least 90% of its assets in common stocks of publicly traded U.S.-listed companies engaged in the advancement of cleaner energy, renewables, energy storage, and conservation.
The portfolio holds approximately 70 stocks using a modified equal-weight approach, which limits concentration risk but tilts exposure toward small- and mid-cap issuers. Net assets are roughly $336 million, and the net expense ratio is 0.64% (with a 0.50% management fee). Sector exposure is led by Industrials (about 30%), Technology (roughly 29%), Basic Materials (about 18%), Consumer Cyclical (approximately 13%), and Utilities (around 8%).
Because no single position dominates the index, returns are spread across a wide basket of names. Representative holdings include ARRY (Array Technologies), NXT (Nextracker), BE (Bloom Energy), CSIQ (Canadian Solar), ORA (Ormat Technologies), FCEL (FuelCell Energy), NVTS (Navitas Semiconductor), FSLR (First Solar), and IONQ (IonQ). This broad, equal-weighted structure means the fund tends to move in sympathy with the entire clean energy theme rather than with any single company. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the holdings compare to others in the industry.
Over the last 30 days, PBW fell from a closing level near $29.07 to approximately $25.22, a decline of roughly 13%. The move was not a single-day shock but a gradual, trend-driven slide punctuated by sharp down days, reflecting sustained selling pressure across the clean energy universe.
The quarterly picture is more pronounced. From a level near $32.06 about three months ago, the fund has dropped approximately 21%, extending a broader repricing of the sector. The consistent downward trajectory indicates a market-wide de-rating rather than an isolated, company-specific event.
The recent decline was driven primarily by weakness across the fund's core subsectors. Solar manufacturers and project developers faced continued pressure from module oversupply and intense price competition, weighing on names such as First Solar, Canadian Solar, and JinkoSolar. Battery and lithium-linked holdings remained vulnerable to soft pricing in lithium and battery materials, while fuel cell and emerging clean-technology stocks struggled amid reduced investor appetite for speculative, high-multiple growth equities.
The macroeconomic backdrop reinforced the selling. Elevated interest rates raise the cost of capital for project-heavy clean energy businesses and compress the valuations of the small- and mid-cap growth companies that dominate the portfolio. With no single holding large enough to offset the trend, the equal-weighted design amplified the fund's sensitivity to the broad sector drawdown.
The three-month decline reflects a longer-lasting rotation away from clean energy equities. Institutional positioning shifted as investors reassessed the near-term economics of solar, storage, and battery supply chains against persistent pricing pressure and lingering policy uncertainty around clean energy incentives. Earnings cycles for several holdings pointed to margin compression rather than the expansion that had supported earlier gains.
The WilderHill Clean Energy Index itself posted double-digit losses over both one-month and three-month windows, confirming that PBW's weakness was largely thematic rather than idiosyncratic. Structural oversupply in solar modules, subdued lithium prices, and a broader preference for cash-flow-generative sectors over long-duration growth themes all contributed to the sustained underperformance.
Looking ahead, the key factors for PBW center on the health of the clean energy supply chain and the interest-rate environment. Investors should monitor solar module pricing and inventory levels, lithium and battery-material costs, and the pace of clean energy project deployment, all of which directly influence the fund's largest weightings.
The trajectory of monetary policy remains critical, as any sustained period of elevated rates would continue to pressure capital-intensive renewables and long-duration growth valuations. Policy and regulatory developments affecting clean energy incentives, permitting, and grid interconnection also represent meaningful catalysts in either direction. Earnings guidance from major holdings across solar, storage, and power-electronics segments will offer further insight into whether margin pressures are stabilizing or intensifying. From what I see, this remains an important area to follow closely.
In my regular workflow, I turn to Tickeron’s AI Screener to scan for patterns and compare holdings across sectors. The platform helps surface data on technical indicators, fundamentals, and industry trends, which can be useful when evaluating thematic ETFs like this one. It supports a more efficient review of momentum shifts without replacing individual due diligence.
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The RSI Indicator for PBW moved out of oversold territory on October 27, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 34 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 31 of the 34 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 90%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for PBW just turned positive on October 28, 2026. Looking at past instances where PBW's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 44 of 47 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Following a +6.46% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where PBW advanced for three days, in 241 of 269 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
PBW may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
The Stochastic Oscillator entered the overbought zone. Expect a price pull-back in the foreseeable future.
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on October 29, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on PBW as a result. In 79 of 86 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 90%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where PBW declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 90%.
The Aroon Indicator for PBW entered a downward trend on October 29, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
Category SmallGrowth