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Should iShares Morningstar SmallCap ETF (ISCB) Be on Your Investing Radar?
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Launched on 06/28/2004, the iShares Morningstar SmallCap ETF (ISCB - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $202.13 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
Sitting at a market capitalization below $2 billion, small cap companies tend to be high-potential stocks compared to its large and mid cap counterparts, but come with higher risk.
Blend ETFs are aptly named, since they tend to hold a mix of growth and value stocks, as well as show characteristics of both kinds of equities.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.04%, making it the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.46%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 16.40% of the portfolio. Industrials and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Webster Financial Corp (WBS - Free Report) accounts for about 0.31% of total assets, followed by First Citizens Bancshares Inc Clas (FCNCA - Free Report) and Huntsman Corp (HUN - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 2.45% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
ISCB seeks to match the performance of the MORNINGSTAR US SMALL CAP EXTENDED INDEX before fees and expenses. The Morningstar US Small Cap Extended Index comprises of small-capitalization U.S. equities.
The ETF has lost about -14.48% so far this year and is down about -15.11% in the last one year (as of 04/28/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $49.28 and $61.66.
The ETF has a beta of 1.18 and standard deviation of 29.86% for the trailing three-year period. With about 2005 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Morningstar SmallCap 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, ISCB is a good 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 $55.16 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF has $66.60 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.
Bottom-Line
While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.
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 Morningstar SmallCap ETF (ISCB) Be on Your Investing Radar?
Launched on 06/28/2004, the iShares Morningstar SmallCap ETF (ISCB - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $202.13 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
Sitting at a market capitalization below $2 billion, small cap companies tend to be high-potential stocks compared to its large and mid cap counterparts, but come with higher risk.
Blend ETFs are aptly named, since they tend to hold a mix of growth and value stocks, as well as show characteristics of both kinds of equities.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.04%, making it the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.46%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 16.40% of the portfolio. Industrials and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Webster Financial Corp (WBS - Free Report) accounts for about 0.31% of total assets, followed by First Citizens Bancshares Inc Clas (FCNCA - Free Report) and Huntsman Corp (HUN - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 2.45% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
ISCB seeks to match the performance of the MORNINGSTAR US SMALL CAP EXTENDED INDEX before fees and expenses. The Morningstar US Small Cap Extended Index comprises of small-capitalization U.S. equities.
The ETF has lost about -14.48% so far this year and is down about -15.11% in the last one year (as of 04/28/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $49.28 and $61.66.
The ETF has a beta of 1.18 and standard deviation of 29.86% for the trailing three-year period. With about 2005 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Morningstar SmallCap 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, ISCB is a good 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 $55.16 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF has $66.60 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.
Bottom-Line
While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.
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.