ISCG vs. VBK: Which ETF Offers Lower Fees, More Liquidity, and Greater Returns?

2 hours ago 2

Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:VBK) and iShares Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:ISCG) some connection diversified vulnerability to U.S. small-cap maturation stocks, but disagree successful portfolio breadth, assets nether absorption (AUM), and trading liquidity.

Both funds people the small-cap maturation segment, with VBK tracking the CRSP U.S. Small Cap Growth Index and ISCG pursuing a Morningstar methodology. This examination looks astatine their respective costs, performance, risk, underlying holdings, and applicable considerations for investors seeking to pat into smaller maturation companies.

Metric

VBK

ISCG

Issuer

Vanguard

IShares

Expense ratio

0.05%

0.06%

1-yr instrumentality (as of 2026-03-11)

23.0%

24.7%

Dividend yield

0.5%

0.6%

Beta

1.17

1.13

AUM

$40.0 billion

$881.5 million

Beta measures terms volatility comparative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr instrumentality represents full instrumentality implicit the trailing 12 months.

ISCG charges a somewhat higher disbursal ratio than VBK, but the quality is conscionable 0.01 percent points, portion ISCG besides offers a marginally higher dividend yield.

Metric

VBK

ISCG

Max drawdown (5 y)

-38.39%

-37.80%

Growth of $1,000 implicit 5 years

$1,097

$1,072

ISCG holds 963 stocks, making it 1 of the broader small-cap maturation ETFs, and has been moving for implicit 21 years. Its assemblage premix leans toward industrials (25%), exertion (21%), and healthcare (16%). The apical holdings are Lumentum Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:LITE), Ati Inc (NYSE:ATI), and Rbc Bearings Inc (NYSE:RBC), with nary azygous banal accounting for much than 1.7% of assets. The money does not employment leverage, currency hedges, oregon ESG screens.

In contrast, VBK holds 579 stocks, with a higher allocation to exertion (26%) and akin weightings to industrials (23%) and healthcare (17%). Its apical positions are Rocket Lab Corp (NASDAQ:RKLB), Comfort Systems USA Inc (NYSE:FIX), and Sandisk Corp (NASDAQ:SNDK), each astir 1.2%-1.3% of assets. VBK besides avoids leverage oregon different structural quirks, tracking the CRSP U.S. Small Cap Growth Index for a straightforward approach.

For much guidance connected ETF investing, cheque retired the afloat usher astatine this link.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a large mode for investors to summation vulnerability to U.S. small-cap stocks. Both the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) and iShares Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF (ISCG) connection compelling options for investors. Let’s delve into the pros and cons of each.

First, there’s VBK. In the head-to-head matchup with ISCG, VBK takes the golden connected a fewer fronts. It has somewhat little fees (0.05% vs. 0.06%). It besides has overmuch higher AUM ($40.0 cardinal vs. $0.9 billion). This is important due to the fact that AUM serves arsenic an indicator of liquidity — that is, however easy an capitalist tin bargain oregon merchantability shares. Lastly, VBK has delivered a amended instrumentality implicit the past 5 years.

Read Entire Article