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Should iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Value ETF (IMCV) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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Launched on 06/28/2004, the iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Value ETF (IMCV - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Mid Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $503.48 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Mid Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

Why Mid Cap Value

With market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion, mid cap companies usually contain higher growth prospects than large cap companies, and are considered less risky than their small cap counterparts. Thus, companies that fall under this category provide a stable and growth-heavy investment.

Value stocks are known for their lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, but investors should also note their lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. While value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets when you consider long-term performance, growth stocks are more likely to outpace value stocks in strong bull markets.

Costs

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

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 2.48%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. 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 15.30% of the portfolio. Industrials and Utilities round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Newmont (NEM - Free Report) accounts for about 1.09% of total assets, followed by Biogen Inc (BIIB - Free Report) and Dow Inc (DOW - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 9.56% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

IMCV seeks to match the performance of the MORNINGSTAR US MID CAP BROAD VALUE INDEX before fees and expenses. The Morningstar US Mid Cap Broad Value Index comprises of mid-capitalization U.S. equities that exhibit value characteristics.

The ETF has lost about -1.64% so far this year and is down about -2.45% in the last one year (as of 05/11/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $55.94 and $68.24.

The ETF has a beta of 1.08 and standard deviation of 21.76% for the trailing three-year period. With about 339 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

IShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Value ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, IMCV is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.

The iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS - Free Report) and the Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (VOE - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF has $12.41 billion in assets, Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF has $15.61 billion. IWS has an expense ratio of 0.23% and VOE charges 0.07%.

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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