Building Point-in-Time ETF and REIT Universes for Historical Research
Summary
The document addresses a survivorship and identifier problem in historical research: finding which exchange-traded funds and real estate investment trusts existed at earlier dates, along with their changing symbols. It points to historical ETF launch, closure, index, and ticker-change records as one source for reconstructing an ETF universe. It notes that a current ticker list may not match historical price databases, which can use present-day symbols.
For REITs, the discussion recommends tracking designation histories and cross-checking records because a company’s tax status can change, and published lists may update slowly. It gives an example of a company that adopted REIT status years after its founding and notes that classification can even be revised retrospectively. The answers do not provide a free, complete daily or monthly point-in-time dataset, so researchers must reconcile multiple sources and account for ticker changes and classification timing.
Key ideas
- Historical ETF research requires records of launches, closures, and ticker changes.
- Current symbol lists may not align with the identifiers used in historical price data.
- REIT status can change during a company’s history, so classification should be point-in-time.
- Published REIT lists may lag status changes and should be cross-checked.
- The document does not identify a comprehensive free historical universe source.
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Full text
# How do I get a list of all ETFs / REITs? # How do I get a list of all ETFs / REITs? I am currently doing a research which will need ETF and REITs' historical data back in early 2000s. The problem is I do not know what symbols existed back in then, unlike indices like S&P and DOW, which I can easily look at the historical components. Is there any (free) way of downloading a dynamic list of symbols on a daily or monthly basis back in early 2000s? ## Answer by Fernando Rivera (score 1) https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/30971 ETF.com has a section called ETF Watch (http://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch.html) where you can view all ETF Launches, ETF closures and Index and Ticker Changes by year. ## Answer by Richard at NorgateData (score 0) https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/29917 I don't know of any free sources for a dynamic list of symbols. Note that symbols change all of the time, so just having a list of symbols at a particular point-in-time will be difficult to match with a price database of symbols that have "current" symbols. REITs are a subset of normal operating/holding companies. They differ from these by electing to be taxed differently to a normal investment company. There are various qualification rules to be considered a REIT: https://www.sec.gov/answers/reits.htm Not all REITs have always maintained this designation across their lifetime. Have a look at the REITWatch newsletters - probably the most comprehensive source for such information but you should cross-check the REIT designations with more sources as sometimes it took a while for that newsletter to add/remove valid/invalid REITs. http://reit.com/data-research/data/reitwatch For example, Crown Castle International (NYSE:CCI) gained REIT status in late 2013 but the prior 1998 through to late 2013 it was just a normal company. http://investor.crowncastle.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=107530&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1888377 A further anomaly is that a company may think it is operating as a REIT but then has to retrospectively alter its designation once the SEC declare it is no longer a REIT.
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This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.