Should iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) Be on Your Investing Radar?

The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) was launched on 10/18/2011, 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 $23.91 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

Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.

Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.

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 1.57%.

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 Information Technology sector--about 25.20% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B (BRK.B) accounts for about 1.70% of total assets, followed by Republic Services Inc (RSG) and T Mobile Us Inc (TMUS).

The top 10 holdings account for about 15.92% 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 4.43% so far this year and is up about 14.26% in the last one year (as of 05/09/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $81.53 and $94.57.

The ETF has a beta of 0.73 and standard deviation of 13.01% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 185 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 an excellent 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 SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) track a similar index. While SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $581.69 billion in assets, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $621.47 billion. SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% and VOO charges 0.03%.

Bottom-Line

An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also 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.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research