The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV Quick QuoteUSMV - Free Report) was launched on October 18, 2011, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $22.49 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 fall in the large cap category tend to have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Overall, they are usually a stable option, with less risk and more sure-fire cash flows than mid and small cap companies.

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

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.54%.

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 Information Technology sector -- about 29.1% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, International Business Machines Co (IBM) accounts for about 1.64% of total assets, followed by Mckesson Corp (MCK) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM).

The top 10 holdings account for about 15.14% 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 return is roughly 5.87% so far this year and is up roughly 1.93% in the last one year (as of 11/10/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $85.42 and $95.43.

The ETF has a beta of 0.70 and standard deviation of 10.94% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 175 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor 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, USMV is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) track a similar index. While iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $706.98 billion in assets, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $786.15 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and VOO charges 0.03%.

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.