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Is Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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Designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend category of the market, the Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 12/23/2014.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the market or a particular market segment.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.
Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.
The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
Because the fund has amassed over $799.81 million, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Blend. EQAL is managed by Invesco. EQAL seeks to match the performance of the Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index before fees and expenses.
The Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index is composed of securities in the Russell 1000 Index and is equally weighted across nine sector groups with each security within the sector receiving equal weight.
Cost & Other Expenses
For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.20%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.65%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk, but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 13.7% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Iridium Communications Inc (IRDM) accounts for about 0.67% of the fund's total assets, followed by Ciena Corp (CIEN) and Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE).
The top 10 holdings account for about 5.72% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, EQAL return is roughly 11.36%, and it's up approximately 28.51% in the last one year (as of 05/07/2026). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $46.82 and $58.62.
The ETF has a beta of 0.91 and standard deviation of 14.88% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 995 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .
Alternatives
Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) tracks S&P 500 Index and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF Shares (VOO) tracks S&P 500 Index. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $817.01 billion in assets, Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF Shares has $947.64 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and VOO changes 0.03%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap Blend
Bottom Line
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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Is Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL) a Strong ETF Right Now?
Designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend category of the market, the Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF (EQAL - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 12/23/2014.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the market or a particular market segment.
Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.
But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.
Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.
The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
Because the fund has amassed over $799.81 million, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Blend. EQAL is managed by Invesco. EQAL seeks to match the performance of the Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index before fees and expenses.
The Russell 1000 Equal Weight Index is composed of securities in the Russell 1000 Index and is equally weighted across nine sector groups with each security within the sector receiving equal weight.
Cost & Other Expenses
For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.20%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.65%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk, but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Representing 13.7% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Iridium Communications Inc (IRDM) accounts for about 0.67% of the fund's total assets, followed by Ciena Corp (CIEN) and Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE).
The top 10 holdings account for about 5.72% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, EQAL return is roughly 11.36%, and it's up approximately 28.51% in the last one year (as of 05/07/2026). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $46.82 and $58.62.
The ETF has a beta of 0.91 and standard deviation of 14.88% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 995 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .
Alternatives
Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) tracks S&P 500 Index and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF Shares (VOO) tracks S&P 500 Index. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has $817.01 billion in assets, Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF Shares has $947.64 billion. IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% and VOO changes 0.03%.
Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap Blend
Bottom Line
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.