BlackRock Is Tweaking the S&P 500 Formula With Its New ETFs. Should You Be a Buyer?

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the rise of new ETFs introduced by BlackRock to provide investors with alternatives to traditional S&P 500 ETFs, addressing concerns over the heavy concentration of megacap stocks in the index [2][6]. Group 1: ETF Overview - The largest ETFs tracking the S&P 500 include the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) [1]. - BlackRock has launched the iShares S&P 500 3% Capped ETF and the iShares S&P 500 ex Top 100 ETF to allow investors to invest in the S&P 500 with reduced exposure to megacap stocks [3][4]. Group 2: ETF Features - The iShares S&P 500 3% Capped ETF limits each holding's weighting to a maximum of 3%, redistributing excess weight to companies below this cap [3]. - The iShares S&P 500 ex Top 100 ETF tracks the S&P 500 performance excluding the 100 largest stocks, allowing for a balanced exposure to megacap stocks [4]. Group 3: Performance and Costs - The iShares S&P 500 ex S&P 100 ETF has an expense ratio of 0.2%, while the iShares S&P 500 3% Capped ETF has a ratio of 0.15%, which can be reduced to 0.09% until April 2026 [7]. - In contrast, the Vanguard 500 S&P ETF has a much lower expense ratio of 0.03% and has shown strong long-term performance, with an average annualized return of 16.6% over the past five years [8]. Group 4: Market Dynamics - The S&P 500's performance is attributed to its market-cap-weighted structure, allowing successful companies to grow and dominate the index [9]. - A study by J.P. Morgan indicated that two-thirds of stocks in the Russell 3000 underperformed the index from 1980 to 2020, highlighting the importance of megacap stocks in driving market gains [10].