Is iShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF (IUSV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

The iShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF (IUSV) was launched on 07/24/2000, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.

Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, and are a good option 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.

This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.

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

The fund is managed by Blackrock, and has been able to amass over $20.23 billion, which makes it the largest ETF in the Style Box - All Cap Value. Before fees and expenses, IUSV seeks to match the performance of the S&P 900 Value Index.

The S&P 900 Value Index measures the performance of the large and mid-capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market.

Cost & Other Expenses

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.04% for this ETF, which makes it one of the least expensive products in the space.

IUSV's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.62%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Information Technology sector - about 23% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.

When you look at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 6.62% of the fund's total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Amazon Com Inc (AMZN).

IUSV's top 10 holdings account for about 26.75% of its total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the iShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF has added about 0.33% so far, and it's up approximately 7.32% over the last 12 months (as of 06/16/2025). IUSV has traded between $81.46 and $100.02 in this past 52-week period.

IUSV has a beta of 0.88 and standard deviation of 15.10% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 701 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

IShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - All Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

IShares U.S. Equity Factor ETF (LRGF) tracks MSCI USA Diversified Multiple-Factor Index and the Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV) tracks Fidelity Core Dividend Index. IShares U.S. Equity Factor ETF has $2.48 billion in assets, Fidelity High Dividend ETF has $5.32 billion. LRGF has an expense ratio of 0.08% and FDVV charges 0.16%.

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

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