BNY Mellon Sustainable US Equity ETF (BKUS) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of its assets in stocks of U.S. companies demonstrating attractive investment attributes and sustainable business practices based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria; these include assessments of environmental footprint, labor standards, and board structure. The fund employs a global thematic approach to stock selection, managed by Newton Investment Management, with portfolio managers Nick Pope (since inception) and Julianne D. McHugh (since May 2023), and focuses primarily on companies with market capitalizations of $5 billion or more while benchmarking against the S&P 500 Index. Top holdings as of recent data include Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc., NVIDIA Corp., and Amazon.com Inc., with a total expense ratio of 0.60% (net 0.50% through March 1, 2024, due to fee waivers).
Launched on December 14, 2021, as part of BNY Mellon Investment Management's initial suite of active sustainable ETFs, BKUS operated on the NYSE Arca until its announced liquidation on or about February 21, 2024, with trading ceasing after February 14, 2024; this significant operational change reflected strategic portfolio rationalization amid low assets under management of approximately $10 million. No recent partnerships, acquisitions, funding rounds, or new product launches were identified for the ETF in 2024 or 2025, as its wind-down concluded its lifecycle without further expansions or reorganizations.
The ETF targets institutional and retail investors seeking ESG-integrated U.S. equity exposure across large-cap segments, with geographic operations centered in the United States and holdings listed on major U.S. exchanges; it is issued by BNY Mellon ETF Trust under The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, headquartered in New York, New York.