Should iShares Morningstar SmallCap Value ETF (ISCV) Be on Your Investing Radar?
The iShares Morningstar SmallCap Value ETF (ISCV) was launched on 06/28/2004, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Small Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $387.37 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Small Cap Value
With more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.
While value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, they also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. When you look at long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets. But in strong bull markets, growth stocks are more likely to be winners.
Costs
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.06%, making it the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.16%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 28% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Nexstar Media Group Inc (NXST) accounts for about 0.43% of total assets, followed by Omega Healthcare Investors Reit In (OHI) and Unum (UNM).
Performance and Risk
ISCV seeks to match the performance of the MORNINGSTAR US SML CP BRD VLUE EXTD INDX before fees and expenses. The Morningstar US Small Cap Broad Value Extended Index comprises of small-capitalization U.S. equities that exhibit value characteristics.
The ETF has lost about -9.78% so far this year and is down about -12.28% in the last one year (as of 11/09/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $47.53 and $62.
The ETF has a beta of 1.25 and standard deviation of 32.63% for the trailing three-year period. With about 1232 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Morningstar SmallCap Value ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, ISCV is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN) and the Vanguard SmallCap Value ETF (VBR) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF has $12.20 billion in assets, Vanguard SmallCap Value ETF has $23.41 billion. IWN has an expense ratio of 0.23% and VBR charges 0.07%.
Bottom-Line
An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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iShares Morningstar SmallCap Value ETF (ISCV): ETF Research Reports
Unum Group (UNM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (OHI) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Nexstar Media Group, Inc (NXST) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard SmallCap Value ETF (VBR): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN): ETF Research Reports
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