Is iShares International Equity Factor ETF (INTF) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Launched on 04/28/2015, the iShares International Equity Factor ETF (INTF) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Foreign Large Blend ETF category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.However, some investors believe in the possibility of beating the market through exceptional stock selection, and choose a different type of fund that tracks non-cap weighted strategies: smart beta.Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results.Fund Sponsor & IndexThe fund is managed by Blackrock. INTF has been able to amass assets over $2.76 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Foreign Large Blend ETF. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the MSCI World ex USA Diversified Multi-Factor Index.The STOXX International Equity Factor Index composes of global developed market large and mid-capitalization stocks, excluding the US, that have favourable exposure to target style factors subject to constraints.Cost & Other ExpensesFor ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.16% for INTF, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.68%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsWhile ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.Looking at individual holdings, Novartis Ag (NOVN) accounts for about 2.07% of total assets, followed by Asml Holding Nv (ASML) and Nestle Sa (NESN).Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 11.5% of INTF's total assets under management.Performance and RiskYear-to-date, the iShares International Equity Factor ETF return is roughly 30.26% so far, and is up roughly 28.94% over the last 12 months (as of 11/17/2025). INTF has traded between $27.60 $37.18 in this past 52-week period. INTF has a beta of 0.80 and standard deviation of 14.31% for the trailing three-year period, which makes the fund a medium risk choice in the space. With about 490 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .AlternativesiShares International Equity Factor ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Foreign Large Blend ETF segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index and the Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Vanguard Total International Stock ETF has $111.33 billion in assets, Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF has $184.6 billion. VXUS has an expense ratio of 0.05% and VEA changes 0.03%.Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Foreign Large Blend ETFBottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF InsightsZacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week.Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. It’s free!Get it now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report iShares International Equity Factor ETF (INTF): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks