iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF
$85.54+0.25 (+0.29%)
- 0.15%
- $4.21B
- +16.2%
- 0.99%
- 179K sh
- low $70.00high $90.74
The ETF.net SMLF Grade
A
Score 76 out of 100
- 12 of 99
Score 76 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.A83 out of 100Rank 13 of 99Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.A92 out of 100Rank 21 of 87Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.D35 out of 100Rank 70 of 99Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.A71 out of 100Rank 19 of 99Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.A84 out of 100Rank 8 of 98Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.A88 out of 100Rank 6 of 99
Our read on SMLF
In short
AFour factors (value, quality, momentum, low volatility) applied to roughly 900 U.S. small caps for 0.15% a year. Small-cap factor investing at a plain-index price, from the biggest ETF shop on the street.
Stated mandate
The Fund tracks an index of U.S. small-cap stocks selected for favorable exposure to style factors under constraints. Its rules-based index targets momentum, quality, value, and low volatility while controlling industry exposure, turnover, and risk relative to the parent index.
Why people hold it
Worth knowing
SMLF Holdings
- Stocks
- 936
- 7%
- EME
Sectors
- Industrials18.8%
- Technology16.4%
- Financials15.6%
- Health Care14.6%
- Consumer Discretionary11.7%
- Real Estate5.2%
- Energy4.9%
- Materials4.1%
- Consumer Staples3.1%
- Communication3.0%
- Utilities2.6%
Geography
- United States96.90%
- United Kingdom0.99%
- Mexico0.66%
- Brazil0.36%
- Israel0.30%
- Belgium0.22%
- Sweden0.15%
- Switzerland0.15%
- 0.25%
SMLF Performance
Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.
SMLF$11,618
Returns run to the Oct 30, 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.
| Period | SMLF |
|---|---|
| Year to date | +14.7% |
| 1 month | +2.1% |
| 3 months | −0.8% |
| 1 year | +16.2% |
| 3 years | +22.0% |
| 5 years | +10.0% |
| 10 years | +12.0% |
Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.
| Year | Return bar | SMLF |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +14.7% | |
| 2025 | +12.3% | |
| 2024 | +16.3% | |
| 2023 | +20.0% | |
| 2022 | −12.2% | |
| 2021 | +26.5% | |
| 2020 | +8.4% |
SMLF in the news
SMLF Dividends
- 0.99%
- $0.85
- $0.21 per share
- Quarterly
SMLF Risk
- 17.2%
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.
- 0.99
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.
- −26.3%
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.
- 1.09
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.
SMLF Cost
Overpaying vs VYM, tied cheapest in US Multifactor
$2,288
On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.
SMLF 0.15%
$3,137
VYM 0.04% Tied cheapest
$849
Cost over time
Year by year
| Year | SMLF | VYM | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $274 | $73 | $201 |
| 20 | $1,071 | $288 | $783 |
| 30 | $3,137 | $849 | $2,288 |
Other funds in US Multifactor
- AGSLCGoldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETFExpense ratio 0.09%1 year return +10.5%
- ARECSColumbia Research Enhanced Core ETFExpense ratio 0.15%1 year return +10.8%
- AAVUSAvantis U.S. Equity ETFExpense ratio 0.15%1 year return +17.4%
- AIJKiShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETFExpense ratio 0.16%1 year return +13.0%
- AFSMDFidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETFExpense ratio 0.15%1 year return +18.1%