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IWC

iShares Micro-Cap ETF (IWC)

Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:$181.00▲(1.74% Upside)

IWC, the iShares Micro-Cap ETF, has a mixed but generally moderate overall rating, driven by a blend of stronger and weaker small-company holdings. Higher-quality positions like CareDx (CDNA) and Interface (TILE), which show solid financial performance, revenue growth, and positive earnings calls, help support the fund’s quality, while weaker names such as SELLAS Life Sciences (SLS), Ouster (OUST), and Xeris Pharmaceuticals (XERS) face profitability, cash flow, and valuation challenges that weigh on the rating. The main risk factor is the ETF’s focus on micro-cap stocks, which tend to be more volatile and financially fragile, making the fund more sensitive to company-specific setbacks and market conditions.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-To-Date PerformanceThe ETF has delivered strong gains so far this year, indicating that its micro-cap strategy has recently worked well for investors.
Outperforming Top HoldingsMany of the largest positions, especially in health care and technology, have shown strong performance, helping support the fund’s overall returns.
Broad Sector DiversificationThe ETF spreads its investments across many sectors, which helps reduce the impact if any single industry experiences a downturn.
Negative Factors
Higher Expense RatioThe fund’s fees are relatively high compared with many broad market ETFs, which can slightly reduce long-term returns for investors.
Micro-Cap Volatility RiskBecause the ETF focuses on very small companies, its share price can be more volatile and sensitive to market stress than large-cap funds.
Heavy U.S. ConcentrationAlmost all of the ETF’s holdings are in U.S. companies, offering little geographic diversification if the U.S. market weakens.

IWC vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
1.23B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.60%
Beta
1.23
Issuer
iShares
Inception Date
Aug 12, 2005
Dividend Yield
0.80%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
Russell Microcap

IWC Summary

The iShares Micro-Cap ETF (IWC) invests in very small U.S. companies and follows the Russell Microcap Index. It spreads money across many sectors, including health care, financials, and technology, with holdings like Bandwidth and Interface. Someone might consider IWC if they want growth potential from younger, smaller businesses and extra diversification beyond the usual large, well-known stocks. However, because these micro-cap companies are tiny and more fragile, the ETF’s price can be very volatile and may move up and down more sharply than the overall stock market.

How much will it cost me?

The iShares Micro-Cap ETF (IWC) has an expense ratio of 0.6%, which means you’ll pay $6 per year for every $1,000 invested. This is higher than average because the fund is focused on micro-cap stocks, which require more active management compared to broad-market index funds. It reflects the specialized nature of the ETF and the effort involved in tracking smaller, less liquid companies.

What would affect this ETF?

The iShares Micro-Cap ETF (IWC) could benefit from economic growth and innovation in sectors like healthcare and technology, which make up a significant portion of its holdings. However, it may face challenges from rising interest rates or economic slowdowns, which can disproportionately affect smaller companies with limited resources. Additionally, regulatory changes or sector-specific disruptions could impact the performance of its top holdings and overall micro-cap exposure.

IWC Top 10 Holdings

IWC is a pure U.S. micro-cap play, and its story is being written mostly by nimble health care and tech names. CareDx and Hyperliquid Strategies are rising and helping to pull the fund higher, while Strive and Innodata add steady support with improving growth narratives. On the flip side, Ouster and Viridian Therapeutics have been more mixed to lagging, occasionally acting like sandbags on performance as profitability questions linger. With no single giant in charge, the ETF spreads its bets across many tiny innovators, but health care and tech clearly sit in the driver’s seat.

IWC top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
CDNACDNACareDx0.89%$11.04M$3.58B365.70%77Outperform
PENGPENGPenguin Solutions0.72%$8.94M$3.52B167.06%61Neutral
NRIXNRIXNurix Therapeutics0.61%$7.59M$2.84B149.71%54Neutral
SLSSLSSELLAS Life Sciences Group0.60%$7.43M$2.42B535.60%43Neutral
VRDNVRDNViridian Therapeutics0.57%$7.04M$2.54B-4.20%60Neutral
TILETILEInterface0.51%$6.24M$2.06B24.36%72Outperform
ASSTASSTStrive Inc0.57%$7.03M$3.41B85.24%――
OUSTOUSTOuster0.49%$6.11M$2.19B-3.96%45Neutral
XERSXERSXeris Pharmaceuticals0.46%$5.63M$2.03B18.78%46Neutral
PRCHPRCHPorch Group0.46%$5.70M$2.06B19.94%57Neutral

IWC Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price177.91

Price Trends

50DMA189.26Negative
100DMA190.39Negative
200DMA180.49Negative

Market Momentum

MACD-3.78Positive
RSI39.17Neutral
STOCH32.19Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For IWC, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 177.91 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 182.10, below the 50-day MA of 189.26, and below the 200-day MA of 180.49, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -3.78 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 39.17 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 32.19 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for IWC.

IWC Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

IWC against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
IWCIWC$177.91$181.00(1.74% Upside)$1.23B0.60%58Neutral
BBUSBBUS$139.51$170.62(22.30% Upside)$9.58B0.02%73Outperform
JQUAJQUA$76.32$89.20(16.87% Upside)$9.36B0.12%73Outperform
VONEVONE$349.28$430.18(23.16% Upside)$9.12B0.06%73Outperform
TCAFTCAF$43.64$53.27(22.08% Upside)$8.43B0.31%69Neutral
FELCFELC$43.76$52.66(20.33% Upside)$8.76B0.18%74Outperform

Performance Comparison

0%10%20%30%IWCBBUSJQUAVONETCAFFELCNov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
IWC and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
IWCiShares Micro-Cap ETF177.9124.1715.73%
BBUSJP Morgan Betabuilders U.S. Equity ETF139.5119.1015.87%
JQUAJPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETF76.3214.0122.48%
VONEVanguard Russell 1000 ETF349.2847.5715.77%
TCAFT. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Equity ETF43.645.4314.22%
FELCFidelity Enhanced Large Cap Core ETF43.766.6918.05%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.