Launched on 09/22/2009, the iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock (NYSE:BLK). It has amassed assets over $543.58 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that find themselves in the large cap category typically 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.
Carrying lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, value stocks also have 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
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.20%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.10%.
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 Financials sector--about 22.30% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Consumer Staples round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B (BRK.B) accounts for about 4.41% of total assets, followed by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Jpmorgan Chase & Co (JPM).
The top 10 holdings account for about 32.35% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
IWX seeks to match the performance of the Russell Top 200 Value Index before fees and expenses. The Russell Top 200 Value Index is a style factor weighted index that measures the performance of the largest capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market.
The ETF has lost about -18.95% so far this year and is down about -10.55% in the last one year (as of 05/29/2020). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $38.08 and $59.28.
The ETF has a beta of 0.97 and standard deviation of 21.44% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 138 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Russell Top 200 Value 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, IWX is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box (NYSE:BOX) - Large Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $34.27 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $49.28 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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.
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iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX): ETF Research Reports
JPMorgan Chase Co. (NYSE:JPM): Free Stock Analysis Report
Johnson Johnson (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRKa) (BRK.B): Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
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