Should iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Launched on 05/22/2000, the iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Mid Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $92.96 billion, making it the largest ETFs attempting to match the Mid Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.Why Mid Cap BlendCompared to large and small cap companies, mid cap businesses tend to have higher growth prospects and are less volatile, respectively, with market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion. Thus they have a nice balance of growth potential and stability.Blend ETFs are aptly named, since they tend to hold a mix of growth and value stocks, as well as show characteristics of both kinds of equities.CostsWhen considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.05%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.27%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven 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 Industrials sector--about 23% of the portfolio. Financials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Illumina Inc (ILMN) accounts for about 0.77% of total assets, followed by Carlisle Companies Inc (CSL) and Emcor Group Inc (EME).The top 10 holdings account for about 1.51% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskIJH seeks to match the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index before fees and expenses. The S&P MidCap 400 Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market.The ETF has added roughly 14.85% so far this year and it's up approximately 29.20% in the last one year (as of 11/06/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $48.10 and $63.91.The ETF has a beta of 1.11 and standard deviation of 20.16% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 412 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesIShares Core S&P Mid-Cap 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, IJH is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF (IWR) and the Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) track a similar index. While iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF has $37.77 billion in assets, Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF has $70.57 billion. IWR has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VO charges 0.04%.Bottom-LineWhile an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.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 key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>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 iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH): ETF Research Reports Illumina, Inc. (ILMN): Free Stock Analysis Report EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME): Free Stock Analysis Report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL): Free Stock Analysis Report Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO): ETF Research Reports iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF (IWR): ETF Research ReportsTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks