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Is iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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A smart beta exchange traded fund, the iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE - Free Report) debuted on 04/16/2013, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.
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.
Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
Because the fund has amassed over $6.27 billion, this makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. VLUE is managed by Blackrock. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index.
The MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index is based on a traditional market capitalization-weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index which includes U.S. large and mid capitalization stocks.
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 0.15%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 3.04%.
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.
Representing 29.40% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Intel Corporation Corp (INTC - Free Report) accounts for about 5.36% of the fund's total assets, followed by Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO - Free Report) and At&t Inc (T - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 32.95% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added about 1.79% so far this year and was up about 12.04% in the last one year (as of 10/11/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $82.98 and $99.54.
VLUE has a beta of 1.04 and standard deviation of 18.44% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 155 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.
IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD - Free Report) tracks Russell 1000 Value Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $48.05 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $98.33 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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 Value.
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 iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE) a Strong ETF Right Now?
A smart beta exchange traded fund, the iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE - Free Report) debuted on 04/16/2013, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.
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.
Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.
Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
Because the fund has amassed over $6.27 billion, this makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. VLUE is managed by Blackrock. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index.
The MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index is based on a traditional market capitalization-weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index which includes U.S. large and mid capitalization stocks.
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 0.15%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 3.04%.
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.
Representing 29.40% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.
When you look at individual holdings, Intel Corporation Corp (INTC - Free Report) accounts for about 5.36% of the fund's total assets, followed by Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO - Free Report) and At&t Inc (T - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 32.95% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
The ETF has added about 1.79% so far this year and was up about 12.04% in the last one year (as of 10/11/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $82.98 and $99.54.
VLUE has a beta of 1.04 and standard deviation of 18.44% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 155 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.
IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD - Free Report) tracks Russell 1000 Value Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $48.05 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $98.33 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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 Value.
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.