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Should iShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor ETF (SMMV) Be on Your Investing Radar?
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The iShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor ETF (SMMV - Free Report) was launched on 09/07/2016, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $783.06 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
Why Small Cap Blend
Small cap companies have market capitalization below $2 billion. They usually have higher potential than large and mid cap companies with stocks but higher risk.
Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.
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 0.20%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.21%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Healthcare sector--about 16.50% of the portfolio. Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Royal Gold Inc (RGLD - Free Report) accounts for about 1.65% of total assets, followed by Service (SCI - Free Report) and Aptargroup Inc (ATR - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 12.65% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
SMMV seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Small Cap Minimum Volatility (USD) Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI USA Small Cap Minimum Volatility (USD) Index comprises of small-capitalization U.S. equities that, in the aggregate, have lower volatility characteristics relative to the small-capitalization U.S. equity market.
The ETF has lost about -5.59% so far this year and is down about -2.16% in the last one year (as of 04/19/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $35.29 and $39.41.
The ETF has a beta of 0.84 and standard deviation of 21.49% for the trailing three-year period. With about 343 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor 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, SMMV is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM - Free Report) and the iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF (IJR - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 ETF has $57.94 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF has $69.97 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are 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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Should iShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor ETF (SMMV) Be on Your Investing Radar?
The iShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor ETF (SMMV - Free Report) was launched on 09/07/2016, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $783.06 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
Why Small Cap Blend
Small cap companies have market capitalization below $2 billion. They usually have higher potential than large and mid cap companies with stocks but higher risk.
Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.
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 0.20%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.21%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Healthcare sector--about 16.50% of the portfolio. Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Royal Gold Inc (RGLD - Free Report) accounts for about 1.65% of total assets, followed by Service (SCI - Free Report) and Aptargroup Inc (ATR - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 12.65% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
SMMV seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Small Cap Minimum Volatility (USD) Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI USA Small Cap Minimum Volatility (USD) Index comprises of small-capitalization U.S. equities that, in the aggregate, have lower volatility characteristics relative to the small-capitalization U.S. equity market.
The ETF has lost about -5.59% so far this year and is down about -2.16% in the last one year (as of 04/19/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $35.29 and $39.41.
The ETF has a beta of 0.84 and standard deviation of 21.49% for the trailing three-year period. With about 343 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares MSCI USA SmallCap Min Vol Factor 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, SMMV is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM - Free Report) and the iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF (IJR - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 ETF has $57.94 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF has $69.97 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are 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.