Should iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) Be on Your Investing Radar?
The iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) was launched on 09/22/2009, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $466.37 M, 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
Large cap companies typically 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.
Value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios. They also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. While value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets when you consider long-term performance, growth stocks are more likely to outpace value stocks in strong bull markets.
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 0.20%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.33%.
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.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 26.10% 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 4.54% of total assets, followed by Jpmorgan Chase & Co (JPM) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM).
The top 10 holdings account for about 32.31% 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 added roughly 17.45% so far this year and was up about 4.55% in the last one year (as of 09/20/2019). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $44.99 and $55.72.
The ETF has a beta of 0.94 and standard deviation of 11.74% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 137 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 - 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 $39.88 B in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $49.67 B. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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.
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iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX): ETF Research Reports
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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