SQLT - ETF AI Analysis
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iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Quality Factor ETF (SQLT)
Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:―
Positive Factors
Strong Top Holdings
Many of the largest positions have shown strong gains this year, helping support the ETF’s overall performance.
Broad Sector Diversification
Holdings spread across industrials, technology, financials, health care, and several other sectors help reduce the impact of weakness in any single industry.
Low Expense Ratio
The fund’s relatively low management fee means less of your return is eaten up by costs over time.
Negative Factors
Small-Cap Volatility
Because it focuses on smaller U.S. companies, the ETF can be more volatile and sensitive to economic swings than large-cap funds.
Heavy U.S. Concentration
With almost all assets in U.S. stocks, the fund offers little geographic diversification if the U.S. market struggles.
Top Holdings Still Relatively Small
Each individual holding makes up only a small slice of the portfolio, so even strong winners may have a limited impact on overall returns.
SQLT vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
AUM6.72M
RegionNorth America
Expense Ratio0.20%
Beta0.43
IssueriShares
Inception DateApr 01, 2026
Dividend YieldN/A
Asset ClassEquity
Index TrackedMSCI USA Small Cap Sector Neutral Quality Index - USD - Benchmark TR Gross
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)N/A
Shares OutstandingN/A
10 Day Avg. Volume153
30 Day Avg. Volume323
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG RatioN/A
Price to Book (P/B)N/A
Price to Sales (P/S)N/A
P/FCF RatioN/A
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price Target
32.39Price Target Upside― Downside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering491
EPS Forecast (FY)N/A
Revenue Forecast (FY)N/A
SQLT Summary
The iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Quality Factor ETF (SQLT) invests in smaller U.S. companies that score well on financial strength and profitability. It follows the MSCI USA Small Cap Sector Neutral Quality Index, which looks for firms with solid earnings and lower debt across many sectors, including industrials, technology, and financials. Well-known holdings include Royal Gold and The New York Times. An investor might choose this ETF to tap into the growth potential of small companies while focusing on higher-quality businesses for diversification. However, it can still be volatile and can go up and down with the stock market, especially small-cap stocks.
How much will it cost me?This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.20%, which means you’ll pay about $2 per year for every $1,000 you invest. That cost is a bit higher than the cheapest index ETFs because it uses a rules-based “quality factor” strategy rather than simply tracking the entire small-cap market, but it’s still relatively low compared with many actively managed funds.
What would affect this ETF?This ETF could benefit if the U.S. economy stays healthy, interest rates stabilize or fall, and demand remains strong for industrial, technology, and financial companies, since it focuses on smaller, profitable U.S. firms like Fabrinet, Royal Gold, and the New York Times. On the downside, a U.S. recession, rising interest rates that hurt small businesses, or sector-specific setbacks in areas like industrials, tech, or regional banks could weigh on the fund, and any new regulations or credit tightening affecting smaller companies could also be a drag.
SQLT Top 10 Holdings
SQLT’s story is about quality small caps quietly doing the heavy lifting. Industrial names like Sterling Infrastructure and Carpenter Technology have been rising, giving the fund a strong backbone, while tech-oriented holdings such as Onto Innovation and Lattice Semiconductor add a growth engine with solid momentum, even if valuations look a bit rich. TD SYNNEX has also been a steady contributor from the tech and services side. On the flip side, National Fuel Gas and Royal Gold have been lagging, acting as mild brakes. The portfolio is broadly diversified across U.S. sectors, with no single name dominating performance.
Name | Company Name | Weight % | Market Value | Market Cap | Yearly Gain | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Fuel Gas Company | 1.10% | $75.57K | $7.54B | -6.51% | 77 Outperform | |
| Carpenter Technology | 1.00% | $68.74K | $29.67B | 114.31% | 75 Outperform | |
| Woodward | 0.95% | $65.22K | $24.91B | 67.05% | 79 Outperform | |
| Sterling Infrastructure | 0.86% | $58.80K | $21.50B | 215.88% | 71 Outperform | |
| East West Bancorp | 0.81% | $55.67K | $17.71B | 20.60% | 79 Outperform | |
| TD SYNNEX Corporation | 0.80% | $55.19K | $19.56B | 71.24% | 73 Outperform | |
| Lattice Semiconductor | 0.77% | $52.73K | $18.71B | 143.43% | 71 Outperform | |
| Onto Innovation | 0.75% | $51.66K | $15.30B | 207.86% | 82 Outperform | |
| New York Times | 0.75% | $51.22K | $11.95B | 30.69% | 79 Outperform | |
| Medpace Holdings | 0.72% | $49.73K | $15.92B | 75.22% | 79 Outperform |
SQLT Technical Analysis
Positive
―
Price Trends
27.77
Positive
Market Momentum
0.19
Positive
53.71
Neutral
14.68
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SQLT, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of undefined is equal to the 20-day moving average (MA) of 28.30, equal to the 50-day MA of 27.77, and equal to the 200-day MA of ―, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.19 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 53.71 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 14.68 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for SQLT.
SQLT Peer Comparison
Comparison Results
Performance Comparison
SQLT
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Quality Factor ETF
28.34
2.56
9.93%
AIMS
Acuitas Small Cap Active ETF
―
―
―
BKSE
BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF
―
―
―
STXK
Strive 2000 ETF
―
―
―
RUSC
US Small Cap Equity Active ETF
―
―
―
SYZ
Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity ETF
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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.
DisclaimerThis 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.Date of analysis: ―
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