Clear Creek Financial Management made a move. A seven-and-a-half million dollar bet on the First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF. LMBS, they call it. Sounds harmless enough. But in this business, even a whisper can be a signal. A quiet sort of worry, if you listen close.
The Numbers Tell a Story
They picked up 153,558 shares. A tidy sum. Enough to make a dent. The filing showed it back in January. They weren’t just buying, they were adding. Boosting their stake in LMBS. The ETF itself gained a bit over seven million in value, a combination of new money and the market doing its usual dance. It wasn’t a splash, more of a calculated ripple.
What They’re Playing At
LMBS now represents 1.20% of Clear Creek’s 13F AUM. Not a king’s ransom, but enough to notice. They’re holding SPYM, IVV, EFA, QQQ, and SPYG – the usual suspects. Broad market stuff. Safe harbors. But this LMBS play… it feels different. A subtle shift in the wind.
- NYSEMKT:SPYM: $54.89 million (4.48% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:IVV: $38.23 million (3.1% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:EFA: $30.39 million (2.5% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:QQQ: $30.12 million (2.5% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:SPYG: $28.62 million (2.3% of AUM)
LMBS was trading at $50.04 as of late January. Up a modest 3% over the year. A 4% dividend yield. Solid, but not spectacular. It’s the kind of return that doesn’t shout, it just…is. Like a dependable old car.
Under the Hood
LMBS isn’t about chasing high flyers. It’s about income. And preserving what you’ve got. They’re heavily invested in mortgage-related debt. Residential and commercial. A lot of it. Structured as an ETF, it’s liquid enough. Cost-efficient. Transparent. The usual promises. You still have to read the fine print, of course. Nobody gives away money for free.
They’re betting on a soft landing, or at least a manageable one. A world where rates stabilize, and mortgages don’t suddenly become underwater nightmares. It’s a cautious play. The kind you make when you’ve seen enough booms and busts to know better.
What It Means
Coupled with their recent buy of a short-term Treasury ETF, it’s clear they’re prioritizing stability. They’re looking for income, and they want control over duration risk. They’re adding mortgage exposure at a time when long-term rates are still a question mark. Investors are debating easing, but the timing is fuzzy.
This isn’t about getting rich quick. It’s about building a portfolio that can weather the storm. A portfolio that doesn’t rely on miracles. With an effective duration under three years, and a portfolio dominated by agency mortgage securities, LMBS offers yield without demanding a strong bet on rates. It’s a balancing act. A tightrope walk over a pit of uncertainty.
But don’t mistake this for a complete shift in strategy. Clear Creek’s largest holdings are still broad equity benchmarks. Growth-tilted funds. This bond exposure isn’t about yield chasing, it’s about balance. At roughly 4% income and modest volatility, this holding acts as ballast. It doesn’t drive returns, it just…holds things steady. Like a good pair of shoes.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| AUM | $5.71 billion |
| Price (as of 1/22/26) | $50.04 |
| Yield | 4.08% |
| 1-year total return | 7% |
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2026-01-23 14:52