Should iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) Be on Your Investing Radar?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market, look no further than the iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 07/24/2000.The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $12.84 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.Why Small Cap GrowthWith more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.While growth stocks do boast higher than average sales and earnings growth rates, and they are expected to grow faster than the wider market, investors should note these kinds of stocks have higher valuations. Additionally, growth stocks have a greater level of risk associated with them. When you consider growth versus value, growth stocks are usually the clear winner in strong bull markets but tend to fall flat in nearly all other environments.CostsSince 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 0.24%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.78%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Healthcare sector--about 24.30% of the portfolio. Industrials and Information Technology round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Ftai Aviation Ltd (FTAI) accounts for about 1.06% of total assets, followed by Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM) and Insmed Inc (INSM).The top 10 holdings account for about 7.5% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskIWO seeks to match the performance of the Russell 2000 Growth Index before fees and expenses. The Russell 2000 Growth Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the U.S. equity market. It is a subset of the Russell 2000 Index, which measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market & approximately 51% of the total market value of the Russell 2000 Index.The ETF has added roughly 2.90% so far this year and was up about 18.34% in the last one year (as of 01/30/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $244.37 and $315.36.The ETF has a beta of 1.17 and standard deviation of 24.51% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 1124 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesIShares Russell 2000 Growth 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, IWO is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Growth area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) and the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) track a similar index. While iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF has $6.67 billion in assets, Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF has $20.29 billion. IJT has an expense ratio of 0.18% and VBK charges 0.07%.Bottom-LineAn 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.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 Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO): ETF Research Reports Insmed, Inc. (INSM): Free Stock Analysis Report Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (SFM): Free Stock Analysis Report iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT): ETF Research Reports FTAI Aviation Ltd. (FTAI): Free Stock Analysis Report Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK): 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