BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT), has teamed up with actress, director and business owner Elizabeth Banks to launch, starting today, a series of podcasts to raise awareness of the strong performance of several mid-cap companies that make up the SPDR® S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF (MDY).
The series, entitled Crazy Enough to Work and directed by David Gordon Green, explores how several companies with a market cap range of $1 billion to $8 billion, got started, overcame the odds and remain relevant as the world changes around them. During several frank discussions and fun experiences, Elizabeth Banks investigates and uncovers unexpected moments about how these companies have influenced and inspired their customers and employees.
“Our goal is to always bring our best thinking and insights to our clients,” said Stephen Tisdalle, chief marketing officer at State Street Global Advisors. “Despite delivering higher annualized returns over the last two decades, mid-cap stocks receive scant attention when compared to their large and small cap peers. Crazy Enough to Work takes a fun, innovative and engaging approach to help investors get a closer look at several companies that make up the mid-cap equity sector.
“It was a great experience teaming up with State Street Global Advisors to create Crazy Enough to Work,” said Elizabeth Banks. “The trials and successes of these often overlooked mid-sized companies were eye-opening. As a fellow entrepreneur, I found it exciting to go behind the scenes and help these organizations tell their stories to the world.”
The first episode debuts on crazyenough2work.com, and is available for download on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and Bloomberg.com. The first episode takes Elizabeth Banks to Los Angeles where she interviews Greg Silvers, CEO of EPR Properties which is the owner of movie theatres, ski resorts, family entertainment centers and a host of other experience-oriented properties. At several of their properties including, the Santa Monica Pier and iFly, an indoor skydiving facility, Elizabeth and Greg discuss what it takes to succeed in a unique area of the real estate market. The series will continue with episodes featuring The New York Times, Dunkin’ Donuts and Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company inc.) and will be available on podcast platforms every other Wednesday for the next two months.
Launched on May 4, 1995, the SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF was the first ETF to provide investors with access to mid-cap stocks, one of the largest segments of the US equity market. Over the past decade, MDY has outperformed 88 percent of its Morningstar mid-cap blend peer group with a post-tax 10-year annualized return of 9.94 percent1. This performance places MDY in the top quintile of all active and index mid-cap funds.
About Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks’ career as an actress, producer and director continues to flourish with another prolific year ahead. She is known for roles in comedy and drama as well as film and television. With stand-out performances in projects including “The Hunger Games” franchise, “Love & Mercy,” and “The LEGO Movie.” She is also a three time Emmy nominee for her recurring roles in “30 Rock” and “Modern Family.”
In 2015, Banks returned to her popular role as ‘Effie Trinket’ in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.” She also appeared in a cameo role in “Magic Mike XXL” and in the Netflix reprisal of “Wet Hot American Summer. Also in 2015 she hosted NBC’s “Saturday Night Live."
In 2014, Banks lent her voice as ‘Wyldstyle’ in box-office hit “The Lego Movie” opposite Chris Pratt and will reprise her role in the upcoming sequel. The same year she received critical acclaim in “Love & Mercy” for her role as Melinda Wilson opposite Paul Dano and John Cusack who both portrayed Brian Wilson. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was directed by Bill Pohlad. She also stared opposite Chris Pine in the drama “People Like Us” and in the independent dramas “Every Secret Thing” written by Nicole Holofcener and “Little Accidents.” She also starred in the comedy “Walk of Shame."
Her feature credits include “W” in which Banks garnered critical-acclaim for her role as ‘First Lady Laura Bush;’ her breakthrough role in the Academy Award winning film “Seabiscuit,” in which she starred as ‘Marcela Howard’ opposite Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges; Haim Seban’s “Power Rangers,” Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” “Magic Mike XXL,” “Our Idiot Brother,” “The Details,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Man on a Ledge,” “The Next Three Days,” “Role Models,” “Meet Dave,” “Invincible,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Fred Claus,” “Sisters,” “Slither,” “Walk of Shame,” “Heights,” “The Baxter,” “The Trade,” “Ordinary Sinner,” “The Uninvited,” “Daltry Calhoun,” “Sexual Life”, John Singleton’s “Shaft,” Columbia Pictures’ three blockbuster hit franchise “Spider-Man” as journalist ‘Betty Brant,’ and the cult hit “Wet, Hot, American Summer.” On the small screen, Banks earned three Emmy Award nominations for ‘Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series’ for her performances as ‘Avery Jessup’ on “30 Rock” and her guest appearances as ‘Sal’ on ABC’s “Modern Family.” She also appeared in a recurring role as ‘Dr. Kim Porter’ on NBC’s “Scrubs.” Banks reprised her role as ‘Lindsay’ in Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” and has wrapped production on “Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later.” Her theater credits include many roles in American Conservatory Theatre productions, as well as the Guthrie Theater’s production of “Summer & Smoke” directed by David Esbjornson. In 2006 Banks played ‘Cherie,’ the female lead in William Inge’s comedy “Bus Stop,” as part of the Williamstown Theater Festival.
On the production side, Banks made her directorial debut in 2015 with “Pitch Perfect 2” which was the highest opening weekend for a musical in history, the biggest opener for a first-time feature film director, and the second-largest opening for a female director. It also garnered her the ‘Breakthrough Filmmaker of the year’ award at the 2015 CinemaCon Awards. This December Banks starred in and produced "Pitch Perfect 3.” She produces the “Pitch Perfect” franchise through her production company Brownstone Productions along with her husband Max Handleman. Most recently she made her commercial debut, directing a 2017 Superbowl television ad for detergent brand Persil. She is attached to direct the “Charlie’s Angels” reboot at Sony as well as the young adult adaptation “Red Queen.” With a first look film deal at Universal and exclusive television deal at Warner Brothers, her Brownstone Productions’ slate includes multiple film, television and digital collaborations with HBO, CW, Netflix, HULU, Paramount Digital, and the recently announced ABC pilot, “The Trustee.” Their Netflix film “The Most Hated Woman in America” starring Melissa Leo is set to premiere this March at SXSW. Additional projects on the Brownstone slate include two projects in development at Lionsgate, “White Girl Problems” and “Heist Society;” and “Dirty Rush” at Tristar. In the digital space the company produced “Resident Advisors” a digital comedy series with Paramount Digital which premiered on HULU in 2015. In 2009, Brownstone produced the sci-fi thriller “The Surrogates,” which starred Bruce Willis.
Originally from Massachusetts, Banks received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her Graduate Degree at the American Conservatory Theater. She is an avid supporter of Hilary Clinton and has supported her throughout her campaign as well as produced the popular “Fight Song” campaign video to Rachel Platten’s hit song. She is involved with many charities which include LA’s Best, Temple Israel of Hollywood, Planned Parenthood, The First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative, Heifer International, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, and Turnaround Arts. She currently resides in Los Angeles.
About David Gordon Green
David Gordon Green grew up in Dallas, Texas and has been a film lover as long as he can remember, but things really kicked off for him when he was fourteen years old and worked as an extra in Oliver Stone’s film Born on the Fourth of July (David can be spotted wiggling his eyebrows behind the dugout fence in one of the opening baseball scenes). After graduating from North Carolina School of the Arts, he garnered the Best First Film Award from the New York Film Critics Circle and the Discovery Award at the Toronto International Film Festival with his directorial debut film, George Washington. Since this film he as bounced between comedic and dramatic work and works in both independent and studio features. Some of his film credits include: All the Real Girls, Pineapple Express, Your Highness, Prince Avalanche, Joe, Mangelhorn, Our Brand is Crisis and Stronger. His directorial work in television includes the HBO series Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals, the Amazon series Red Oaks, and the Hulu series There’s Johnny.
About SPDR Exchange Traded Funds
SPDR ETFs are a comprehensive family spanning an array of international and domestic asset classes. SPDR ETFs are managed by SSGA Funds Management, Inc., a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. The funds provide investors with the flexibility to select investments that are precisely aligned to their investment strategy. Recognized as an industry pioneer, State Street created the first US listed ETF in 1993 (SPDR S&P 500® – Ticker SPY) and has remained on the forefront of responsible innovation, as evidenced by the introduction of many ground-breaking products, including first-to-market launches with gold, international real estate, international fixed income, and sector ETFs. For more information, visit www.spdrs.com.
About State Street Global Advisors
For four decades, State Street Global Advisors has served the world’s governments, institutions and financial advisors. With a rigorous, risk-aware approach built on research, analysis and market-tested experience, we build from a breadth of active and index strategies to create cost-effective solutions. As stewards, we help portfolio companies see that what is fair for people and sustainable for the planet can deliver long-term performance. And, as pioneers in index, ETF, and ESG investing, we are always inventing new ways to invest. As a result, we have become the world’s third largest asset manager with nearly US $2.72 trillion* under our care.
*This figure is presented as of June 30, 2018 and includes approximately $53 billion of assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated.
All ETFs are subject to risk, including possible loss of principal. Sector ETF products are also subject to sector risk and non-diversification risk, which generally result in greater price fluctuations than the overall market.
Select Sector SPDR Funds bear a higher level of risk than more broadly diversified funds.
Equity securities may fluctuate in value in response to the activities of individual companies and general market and economic conditions.
Non-diversified funds that focus on a relatively small number of securities tend to be more volatile than diversified funds and the market as a whole.
While the shares of ETFs are tradable on secondary markets, they may not readily trade in all market conditions and may trade at significant discounts in periods of market stress.
ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETFs net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns.
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Before investing, consider the funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus which contains this and other information, visit spdrs.com to download a prospectus or summary prospectus or call 800.997.7327. Read it carefully before investing.
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1 Morningstar as of 6/30/18. Based on funds in the Morningstar Mid-Cap Blend Category (oldest share class). Rankings are based on returns after taxes that are net of all fees, maximum federal tax rate (39.6%) and applicable sales loads. Rankings reflecting lower tax rates would have resulted in less favorable results for exchange traded funds due to their tax efficiency. Funds did not outperform for all periods . MDY’s 1 year peer group percentile is 25% (44 of 182 funds), 152 funds for 3 years, 136 funds for 5 years and 114 funds for 10 years. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
