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Should iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) Be on Your Investing Radar?
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If you're interested in broad exposure to the Mid Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS - Free Report) , a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 07/17/2001.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $13.72 billion, making it one of the largest 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. Looking at their long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets. They are however likely to underperform growth 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 0.23%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.68%.
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 Industrials sector--about 20.30% of the portfolio. Financials and Information Technology round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Parker-Hannifin Corp (PH - Free Report) accounts for about 0.88% of total assets, followed by Phillips (PSX - Free Report) and Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 7.03% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
IWS seeks to match the performance of the Russell MidCap Value Index before fees and expenses. The Russell Midcap Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market.
The ETF return is roughly 4.66% so far this year and is up about 12.86% in the last one year (as of 03/11/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $97.63 and $121.99.
The ETF has a beta of 1.10 and standard deviation of 18.12% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 707 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Russell 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, IWS is a great 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 S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (IJJ - Free Report) and the Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (VOE - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF has $7.43 billion in assets, Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF has $16.25 billion. IJJ has an expense ratio of 0.18% 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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Should iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) Be on Your Investing Radar?
If you're interested in broad exposure to the Mid Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS - Free Report) , a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 07/17/2001.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $13.72 billion, making it one of the largest 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. Looking at their long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets. They are however likely to underperform growth 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 0.23%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.68%.
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 Industrials sector--about 20.30% of the portfolio. Financials and Information Technology round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Parker-Hannifin Corp (PH - Free Report) accounts for about 0.88% of total assets, followed by Phillips (PSX - Free Report) and Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 7.03% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
IWS seeks to match the performance of the Russell MidCap Value Index before fees and expenses. The Russell Midcap Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market.
The ETF return is roughly 4.66% so far this year and is up about 12.86% in the last one year (as of 03/11/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $97.63 and $121.99.
The ETF has a beta of 1.10 and standard deviation of 18.12% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 707 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Russell 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, IWS is a great 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 S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (IJJ - Free Report) and the Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (VOE - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF has $7.43 billion in assets, Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF has $16.25 billion. IJJ has an expense ratio of 0.18% 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.