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Should iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, the iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 10/18/2011.

The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $28.80 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Blend

Companies that find themselves in the large cap category typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.

Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.

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 0.15%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.73%.

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 Information Technology sector--about 23.10% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Oracle Corp (ORCL - Free Report) accounts for about 1.66% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT - Free Report) and International Business Machines Co (IBM - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 12.44% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

USMV seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) Index is composed of U.S. equities that, in the aggregate, have lower volatility characteristics relative to the broader U.S. equity market.

The ETF has gained about 3.27% so far this year and is down about -1.30% in the last one year (as of 08/18/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $65.75 and $76.06.

The ETF has a beta of 0.75 and standard deviation of 13.98% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 176 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

IShares MSCI USA 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, USMV is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV - Free Report) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $341.99 billion in assets, SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $409.54 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and SPY charges 0.09%.

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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