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Small caps are now the priciest corner of U.S. equities. Discover why the Russell 2000 has become a dangerous valuation trap in 2026.
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XSHQ is a smart beta ETF that tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Quality Index, selecting 120 securities based on quality metrics. With $303.83 million in assets and a 0.29% expense ratio, it has gained 12.72% year-to-date. The fund is heavily weighted toward Financials (27.6%) and offers diversified exposure with 122 holdings, though investors may consider cheaper alternatives like VB or IJR.
SMLF is a smart beta ETF launched in 2015 that tracks the MSCI USA Small Cap Diversified Multiple-Factor Index with $4.2 billion in assets. The fund has delivered 16.2% returns year-to-date and 19.75% over the past year, but carries higher risk with a beta of 1.08 and 19.51% standard deviation. With a low 0.15% expense ratio and 928 holdings, it offers diversified exposure to small-cap stocks, though cheaper alternatives like VB and IJR are available for investors seeking lower-cost options.
John Hancock Multifactor Small Cap ETF (JHSC) is a smart beta ETF launched in 2017 with $723.15 million in assets. It tracks the John Hancock Dimensional Small Cap Index with a 0.42% expense ratio and has delivered 15.34% returns year-to-date and 17.16% over the past year. However, cheaper alternatives like Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap ETF (0.03% expense ratio) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (0.06% expense ratio) offer lower-cost options for small-cap exposure.
PRFZ is a smart beta ETF that tracks the FTSE RAFI US 1500 Small-Mid Index, providing exposure to small and mid-cap US companies based on fundamental metrics. With $2.84 billion in assets, a 0.34% expense ratio, and year-to-date returns of 20.73%, it offers diversified exposure across 1,506 holdings. However, investors should compare it with cheaper alternatives like VB (0.03% expense ratio) and IJR (0.06% expense ratio) before investing.
A blowout August jobs report pushed traders to price a coin-flip chance of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month, dragging the S&P 500 and Dow lower by midday Friday.
High job openings contrast with falling hires, leaving the Fed trapped between rising inflation and cooling job growth.