Should iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Core Viewpoint - The iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) is a passively managed ETF designed to provide broad exposure to the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market, with significant assets under management of over $6.13 billion [1] Group 1: Fund Overview - The fund was launched on July 24, 2000, and is sponsored by Blackrock [1] - It targets small cap companies with market capitalizations below $2 billion, which are considered high-potential stocks but come with higher risks [2] Group 2: Performance Metrics - IJT aims to match the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, which measures the small-capitalization growth sector of the U.S. equity market [7] - The ETF has gained approximately 1.59% year-to-date and is up about 2.98% over the past year as of August 21, 2025 [7] - In the last 52 weeks, the ETF has traded between $108.87 and $150.65 [7] Group 3: Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for IJT are 0.18%, which is competitive within its peer group [4] - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.04% [4] Group 4: Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has the largest allocation to the Industrials sector, comprising about 23% of the portfolio, followed by Financials and Information Technology [5] - Individual holdings include Spx Technologies Inc (SPXC) at approximately 1.14% of total assets, along with Aerovironment Inc (AVAV) and Brinker International Inc (EAT) [6] Group 5: Risk Profile - IJT has a beta of 1.08 and a standard deviation of 21.25% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [8] - The ETF consists of about 356 holdings, which helps to diversify company-specific risk [8] Group 6: Alternatives - IJT carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Small Cap Growth area [9] - Alternative ETFs include the iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) with $11.91 billion in assets and the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) with $19.48 billion [10]