Should iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Core Insights - The iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, launched on September 22, 2009, and has assets over $2.68 billion [1] - Large cap companies typically have market capitalizations above $10 billion, characterized by stability and predictable cash flows [2] - Value stocks generally have lower price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, and while they have historically outperformed growth stocks in most markets, they may underperform during strong bull markets [3] Costs - The annual operating expenses for IWX are 0.2%, making it one of the cheaper options in the ETF space, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.85% [4] Sector Exposure and Top Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation to the Financials sector, comprising about 25.4% of the portfolio, followed by Healthcare and Industrials [5] - Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B (BRK.B) is the largest holding at approximately 4.67% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 25.57% of total assets under management [6] Performance and Risk - IWX aims to match the performance of the Russell Top 200 Value Index, having gained about 5.93% year-to-date and 9% over the past year as of August 4, 2025 [7] - The ETF has a beta of 0.82 and a standard deviation of 13.96% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [8] Alternatives - IWX carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Large Cap Value segment [9] - Other comparable ETFs include Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard Value ETF (VTV), with SCHD having $68.79 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.06%, while VTV has $137.52 billion and charges 0.04% [10] Bottom-Line - Passively managed ETFs like IWX are increasingly favored by retail and institutional investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making them suitable for long-term investment strategies [11]