The Horizons ETFs Biggest Winner Announced

Markham, Ontario resident generates 14.6% one-month return to win ETF competition

TORONTO, March 25, 2013 /CNW/ - With a hypothetical 14.6% return over a four week period, James Kim of Markham, Ontario, has been named the winner of the Horizons ETFs Biggest Winner Competition (the "Competition"), which was sponsored by Horizons Exchange Traded Funds Inc. ("Horizons ETFs") and co-sponsored by National Bank Direct Brokerage Inc. ("NBDB"). Mr. Kim's impressive performance earned him the grand prize of $10,000 in cash.

Nearly 1,200 people registered to participate in the Competition, which ran from February 1, 2013 to February 28, 2013. The Competition used virtual online brokerage accounts, in which investors were able to buy or sell, on a hypothetical basis, any of the 76 exchange traded funds ("ETFs") offered by Horizons ETFs, at any time throughout regular trading days. Each participant's virtual trading account started with $100,000 CAD in fantasy dollars. In aggregate, participants placed more than 18,200 trades during the course of the Competition.

Horizons ETFs offers a broad range of exchange-traded investment solutions that provide exposure to a variety of assets and markets. Its product lineup includes the largest suite of leveraged, inverse and actively managed ETFs in Canada.

The runner-up in the Competition, who generated a hypothetical 13.9% one-month return and earned a $5,000 cash prize, was Tacjanna Saunders of Vancouver, British Columbia. Ms. Saunders was also awarded one of the Competition's four weekly prizes of $1,000.

Each of the top ten participants finished the Competition with returns of 9.50% or greater.

"This is the second year that we have run the Horizons ETFs Biggest Winner Competition. This time around it was shorter, so it's astounding to see that the top 9 players were all able to generate hypothetical double-digit returns," said Howard Atkinson, President & CEO of Horizons ETFs. "To put this in perspective, the S&P/TSX 60™ Index returned only 1.65% over the same period."

None of the Competition's winners were advisors or professional money managers. 92% of the participants described themselves as direct retail investors, and 62% having no previous experience trading ETFs.

"Being a part of the ETF industry, you sometimes forget how unfamiliar ETFs are to many Canadian investors," said Atkinson. "The Competition was intended to increase awareness of ETF investing in Canada and to help people become more comfortable with it. The fact that so few participants had ever traded an ETF before only underscores the importance of ETF education."

"National Bank Direct Brokerage is proud to have co-sponsored a competition that encouraged the public to take part in a market simulation exercise as a risk-free way to get acquainted with ETFs, while also rewarding sound investing. It is one of our mandates to provide tools and education to Canadian investors," said Nancy Paquet, President of NBDB. "Congratulations to all participants."

In total, Horizons ETFs awarded more than $20,000 in cash prizes during the Competition, including four weekly $1,000 prizes for portfolios with the best weekly returns.

The Weekly Winners were:

Week One—Mike Chmielewski of Calgary, Alberta (6.92% one-week return)

Week Two—Tacjanna Saunders of Vancouver, British Columbia (6.03% one-week return)

Week Three—Gary Way of Toronto, Ontario (8.33% one-week return)

Week Four—Sherry Kegler of Leduc, Alberta (10.84% one-week return)

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with an investment in exchange traded products managed by AlphaPro Management Inc. and Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. (the "Horizons Exchange Traded Products"). The Horizons Exchange Traded Products are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing.

NBDB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Bank of Canada registered as an investment dealer and member of IIROC and CIPF. NBDB does not provide any advice, nor does it make any recommendations with respect to investments. Clients of NBDB are solely responsible for the financial consequences of their investment decisions. NBDB does not make any representation and warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to the appropriateness of investing in ETFs nor does it endorse Horizons ETFs or the Horizons Exchange Traded Products.

About Horizons Exchange Traded Funds Inc. (www.HorizonsETFs.com)

Horizons ETFs is an innovative financial services company offering the Horizons ETFs family of ETFs. The Horizons ETFs family includes a broadly diversified range of investment tools with solutions for investors of all experience levels to meet their investment objectives in a variety of market conditions. With approximately $4.2 billion in assets under management and 76 ETFs listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the Horizons ETFs family makes up one of the largest families of ETFs in Canada. Horizons ETFs is a subsidiary of Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. and a member of the Mirae Asset Financial Group.

SOURCE: Horizons Exchange Traded Funds Inc.

Howard Atkinson, CEO, Horizons Exchange Traded Funds Inc.
[phone], [email protected]