Sage ESG Intermediate Credit ETF (GUDB) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to replicate the performance of the Sage ESG Intermediate Credit Index, providing investors with exposure to a portfolio of investment-grade corporate bonds exhibiting best-in-class environmental, social, and governance (ESG) characteristics and strong fundamentals. The fund invests at least 80% of its assets in securities from the index, which selects U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds, foreign debentures, and secured notes with maturities between one and ten years from the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Intermediate Credit Bond Index, filtered through ESG criteria developed by Sage Advisory Services, Ltd. Co. and Sustainalytics; top holdings have historically included issuers such as Comcast Corporation, State Street Corporation, CVS Health Corporation, Bank of America Corporation, and Pfizer Inc. Sage ESG Intermediate Credit ETF targets institutional and individual investors seeking fixed income solutions that integrate ESG factors without sacrificing liquidity or return potential, operating primarily in U.S. markets with a focus on intermediate-term credit exposure. The ETF was launched in 2020 and sponsored by Sage Advisory Services, Ltd. Co., an employee-owned investment management firm founded in 1996 and headquartered at 5900 Southwest Parkway, Building 1, Austin, Texas 78735.
In a significant recent development, the Sage ESG Intermediate Credit ETF, with approximately $7.9 million in assets under management, is scheduled to close in December 2025 amid challenges faced by certain ESG-focused funds in attracting sufficient investor traction. Concurrently, Sage Advisory has pursued strategic expansion through a November 2025 partnership with inCadense, enabling the delivery of its multi-asset, ETF, and fixed income separately managed account (SMA) strategies—including adaptations of ETF approaches—to international investors in regions such as Latin America and Asia Pacific via the inCadense International Turnkey Asset Management Platform (iTAMP); this collaboration, supported by inCadense's RIA affiliate iH2 Advisors & Company, facilitates offshore managed accounts with streamlined compliance, multi-custody operations, and customized reporting. These moves reflect Sage Advisory's broader efforts to globalize its institutional-quality investment solutions while navigating shifts in the ESG ETF landscape.