The takeaway
Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF shows a pronounced seasonal pattern over 2 years of data — strongest in August (+7.7%) and softest in March (−4.8%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 100% of years, averaging +0.6%, roughly 1.6 pts behind the S&P 500.
The full picture
Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF's most dependable month has been August, higher in 2 of 2 years; March has been its least reliable, up just 0% of the time.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win rate % | ||||||||||||
| Median return % | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in August (+7.4 pts); it has trailed the market most in March (−5.8 pts).
“vs S&P” is Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating Federated Hermes MDT Small Cap Core ETF’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Not enough recent August history to say whether the pattern still holds.
Figures are the typical (median) August return and how often it rose — the last 2 years versus the last 2(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 2-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
Strip the year back and a single month does the heavy lifting: August, up in all 2 Augusts while the other eleven tend to blur together.
Its average (+7.7%) and median (+7.7%) land within a hair of each other — the tell of steady, year-after-year gains rather than one outlier doing the work. Crucially, the gain is the fund's own rather than a rising tide's: August has cleared the S&P 500 by +7.4 points above the index. That consistency sets it apart from the field, where the average stock manages August only about 52% of the time.
The strength clusters rather than stands alone — May–November forms a firm stretch that carries much of the year. At the other end of the calendar, March has been the soft spot — the weakest of 4 months that average a loss (−4.8%), and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in March, December, and February.
The takeaway is less about when to buy than what to expect: August aside, the fund's months offer little reliable tilt. With a short 2-year record, the signal is best held loosely.
Short answers on the fund's best month (August), its worst (March), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a pronounced degree. Since 2024 its best month (August, +7.7%) has run well ahead of its worst (March, −4.8%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
August has been the strongest, averaging +7.7% and closing higher in all 2 years on record since 2024.
It's the weakest, averaging −4.8% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade