ETF suite expands risk mitigation strategies for investors in 2022 amid market uncertainty

Allianz Investment Management LLC (AllianzIM), a wholly owned subsidiary of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life^®), today launched a new buffered outcome ETF with a six-month outcome period: the AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6 Month Buffer10 Jan/Jul ETF (NYSE: SIXJ).

Using FLEX Options, AllianzIM’s new ETF seeks to match the returns of the S&P 500 Price Return Index up to a stated Cap, while providing downside risk mitigation through a Buffer against the first 10% of S&P 500 Price Return Index losses for SIXJ over a six-month outcome period. The initial 6-month outcome period goes from January 1, 2022 through June 30 2022, with subsequent 6-month outcome period from July 1 through December 31 or January 1 to June 30.

“Investors are facing a significant level of uncertainty to start the year as a result of COVID-19 variants, inflation and other risks,” said Johan Grahn, Vice President and Head of ETFs at AllianzIM. “Amid record-low interest rates and volatile equity markets, SIXJ offers investors another option to help mitigate risk in their portfolios.”

With an expense ratio of 0.74%, SIXJ is one of the lowest-cost buffered outcome ETFs on the market. With two outcome periods per year, SIXJ resets the cap and the buffer every 6 months and the ETF may serve as an alternative to short-term, low-yielding investment options and provide tactical applications within an investment portfolio.

AllianzIM debuted its six-month outcome period Buffered Outcome ETFs in October 2021 with the launch of the AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6 Month Buffer10 Apr/Oct ETF (NYSE: SIXO). SIXJ and SIXO are the latest evolution in AllianzIM’s suite of buffered outcome ETFs. Between the two ETFs, investors can now benefit from defined outcome periods with an opportunity to invest in such a way that caps and buffers reset every three months.

Additionally, the AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap Buffer10 Jan ETF (NYSE: AZAJ) and the AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap Buffer20 Jan ETF (NYSE: AZBJ) today begin a new one-year outcome period with new upside caps.

The AllianzIM Buffered Outcome ETFs seek to leverage AllianzIM’s core strengths, which include risk management experience and in-house hedging capabilities. As part of one of the largest asset management and diversified insurance companies in the world, AllianzIM, with AUM of $16.4 billion, is powered by the same proprietary in-house hedging platform that is used among affiliates to help manage more than $145 billion in hedged assets for institutional and retail investors around the globe. Offering a new way to help investors seek to mitigate risk and reduce volatility, these Buffered Outcome ETFs complement Allianz Life’s suite of annuity and life insurance products.

“Risk mitigation is AllianzIM’s bread and butter,” said Brian Muench, President, AllianzIM. “We look forward to leveraging our evolving product lineup to enhance the risk management landscape in 2022 as investors continue to grapple with unforeseen risks in the marketplace.”

For more information on the AllianzIM Buffered Outcome ETF suite, please visit www.allianzIM.com.

¹ Gross reflects the Cap and Buffer prior to taking into account the 0.74% expense ratio of the ETF, while Net accounts for the expense ratio over the stated outcome period, but does not include brokerage commissions, trading fees, taxes and non-routine or extraordinary expenses. The Cap and Buffer experienced by investors may be different than the stated numbers. The funds’ website, www.allianzIM.com, provides important fund information as well as information relating to the potential outcomes of an investment in the fund on a daily basis.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee the funds will achieve their investment objectives and may not be suitable for all investors.

Investors may lose their entire investment, regardless of when they purchase shares, and even if they hold shares for an entire Outcome Period. Full extent of Caps and Buffers only apply if held for stated Outcome Period and are not guaranteed. The Cap may increase or decrease and may vary significantly.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus with this and other information about the Fund, please visit www.allianzim.com or call 877.429.3837. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

The Funds seek to deliver returns that match, at the end of a specified one-year or six month period (outcome period) the returns of the S&P 500 Price Index up to a predetermined Cap, while limiting downside losses by the amount of a specified Buffer, before fees and expenses. There is no guarantee the funds will achieve their investment objectives. You may lose your entire investment, regardless of when you purchase shares, and even if you hold shares for an entire Outcome Period. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors.

The “S&P 500 Price Return Index” (“Index”) is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”), and has been licensed for use by Allianz Investment Management LLC (“AllianzIM”). Standard & Poor’s®, S&P®, and S&P 500® are registered trademarks of S&P; Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by AllianzIM. The funds noted above are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the Index.

Distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

About Allianz Investment Management LLC

AllianzIM, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, is a registered investment adviser. AllianzIM provides hedging and other derivatives-based risk management solutions through its proprietary platform.

About Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® and one of the Ethisphere World’s Most Ethical Companies®, has been keeping its promises since 1896 by helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuity and life insurance products. In 2020, Allianz Life provided additional value to its policyholders via distributions of more than $10.1 billion. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with approximately 150,000 employees in more than 70 countries. Allianz Life is a proud sponsor of Allianz Field® in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220103005221/en/