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Launched · SEC filings

iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF

EFAVCboeiSharesA

$96.20−0.05 (−0.05%)

At close: Nov 2, 2026, 4:00 PM ET

A75/ 100

Rank 1 of 15 in International Factor Index

A75/100Rank 1 of 15inInternational Factor Index
Intraday session: down, 79 prints from 96.25 to 96.20. Range 96.07 to 96.45. Use the arrow keys to read each point.96.1096.3096.4010 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM
Expense ratio
0.20%
Fund size
$5.53B
1Y total return
+17.8%
Yield · Last 12 months
2.97%
Holdings
283
Avg volume · 30D
510K sh
52W range
low $83.85high $96.60
Launched
Filings
SEC EDGAR

The ETF.net EFAV Grade

A

Score 75 out of 100

Category
International Factor Index⁠
Rank
1 of 15
Six-pillar profile for EFAV. Scores out of 100: Cost 89, Risk 75, Mission 56, Tradability 84, Holdings 69, Durability 83. Strongest: Cost (89). Weakest: Mission (56). No single pillar leads.

Score 75 of 100 falls in the A band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.

  • Cost

    The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.
    A89 out of 100
    Rank 2 of 15

  • Mission

    Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.
    B56 out of 100
    Rank 8 of 9

  • Risk

    How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.
    A75 out of 100
    Rank 4 of 15

  • Tradability

    How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.
    A84 out of 100
    Rank 2 of 15

  • Holdings

    How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.
    B69 out of 100
    Rank 5 of 15

  • Durability

    Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.
    A83 out of 100
    Rank 2 of 15

Our read on EFAV

ETF.net Research

In short

AThe 2011 original for overseas min vol: roughly 300 developed-market stocks outside the US and Canada, picked for lower-volatility traits, at 0.20% a year. One of the strongest builds in its international factor group.

Stated mandate

The fund seeks to track an index of developed-market equities outside the United States and Canada that have lower-volatility characteristics.

Why people hold it

  • Charges 0.20% a year, less than half the typical fee among international factor funds.
  • Running since 2011 and now a multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, one of the longer records in the international factor aisle.
  • Spreads across about 300 names and follows the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility Index, so the low-vol call is rules-based rather than a manager's hand-picked list.ishares.com
  • Stands among the strongest implementations in its 18-fund international factor peer group.

Worth knowing

  • The min-vol screen reshapes the lineup, so sector and country weights can sit well away from a plain EAFE index fund and results diverge from it.
  • QLVD runs a developed ex-US low-volatility mandate for 0.15%, so cheaper shelf-mates exist in the same aisle.
  • Coverage stops at developed markets outside the US and Canada, leaving emerging markets and Canadian stocks to other holdings.ishares.com

EFAV Performance

Launched Oct 18, 2011

Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.

EFAV$11,778
SPY tracks large US stocks. It provides market context, rather than representing this fund’s strategy, asset class or investment benchmark.$11,146
Oct 31, 2025 to Nov 2, 2026. EFAV $11,778. SPY $11,146. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$10,000$11,000Oct 2025May 2026Nov 2026

Oct 31, 2025 – Nov 2, 2026

Returns run to the Nov 2, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.

Trailing total return for EFAV. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
PeriodEFAV
Year to date+13.7%
1 month+5.8%
3 months+3.5%
1 year+17.8%
3 yearsper year+17.4%
5 yearsper year+7.6%
10 yearsper year+7.3%

With distributions reinvested.

Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.

Annual total returns for EFAV
YearReturn barEFAV
2026 YTD+13.7%
2025+26.0%
2024+5.3%
2023+12.5%
2022−15.1%
2021+7.2%
2020−0.1%

EFAV in the news

EFAV Dividends

Adds up every distribution paid per share over the last 12 months, divided by the last completed close. Distributions are counted by ex-date. Data through Nov 2, 2026.
2.97%Last 12 months
Payout per share
$2.86Last 12 months
Last payment
$1.68 per share
Paid on
Shares bought on or after this date do not qualify for this distribution.
Frequency
Twice a year

Distribution history

2017–2026

One bar per payment. 18 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Jun 20, 2017 $1.40; Dec 19, 2017 $0.39; Jun 19, 2018 $1.45; Dec 18, 2018 $0.77; Jun 17, 2019 $1.39; Dec 16, 2019 $1.73; Jun 15, 2020 $0.98; Jun 10, 2021 $1.27; Dec 13, 2021 $0.63; Jun 9, 2022 $1.11; Dec 13, 2022 $0.50; Jun 7, 2023 $1.31; Dec 20, 2023 $0.82; Jun 11, 2024 $1.43; Dec 17, 2024 $0.86; Jun 16, 2025 $1.59; Dec 16, 2025 $1.17; Jun 15, 2026 $1.68. Use the arrow keys to read each point.2017201820192020202120222023202420252026YTD
Ex-datePay dateAmount per share
Jun 15, 2026Jun 18, 2026$1.68
Dec 16, 2025Dec 19, 2025$1.17
Jun 16, 2025Jun 20, 2025$1.59
Dec 17, 2024Dec 20, 2024$0.86
Jun 11, 2024Jun 17, 2024$1.43
Dec 20, 2023Dec 27, 2023$0.82
Jun 7, 2023Jun 13, 2023$1.31
Dec 13, 2022Dec 19, 2022$0.50
Jun 9, 2022Jun 15, 2022$1.11
Dec 13, 2021Dec 17, 2021$0.63
Jun 10, 2021Jun 16, 2021$1.27
Jun 15, 2020Jun 19, 2020$0.98

See all 29 payments⁠

$10,000 in EFAV 10 years ago paid $3,427 in dividends.⁠

EFAV Risk

Risk pillarA75 out of 100Rank 4 of 15 in International Factor Index
How much the fund’s monthly returns vary, scaled to a year.
10.5%
Annualised · 36 months to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: standard deviation

The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.

Return above 3-month US Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
1.24
vs 3-month T-bills · to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio

Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.

Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.

The largest fall from a peak to the low that followed.
−26.0%
Trough Oct 2022
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown

The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.

Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.

How strongly the fund’s returns move with its asset-class index.
0.48
vs its asset-class index
How it’s calculated: beta

The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.

FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.

EFAV Cost

Compare EFAV and VDG

Overpaying vs VDG, cheapest in International Factor Index

$2,466

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • EFAV 0.20%

    $4,155

  • VDG 0.08% Cheapest

    $1,689

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • EFAV 0.20%
  • VDG 0.08%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$1K$2K$3K$4K$5K051015202530EFAV $4,155VDG $1,689

Year by year

YearEFAVVDGOverpaying
10$365$147$218
20$1,421$575$846
30$4,155$1,689$2,466

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