ETF Versus

EEM vs IJH

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF vs iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

EEM iShares

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.72%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.12%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $24.5B ER: 0.72% Yield: 2.12% Since: Apr 7, 2003
IJH iShares

iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to mid-cap U.S. companies balancing growth potential and stability. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.05%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.31%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $104.0B ER: 0.05% Yield: 1.31% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

IJH is significantly cheaper at 0.05% vs 0.72% expense ratio, saving you approximately $1.297 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, EEM has significantly outperformed with a 30.5% return vs 16.1%. Income investors may prefer EEM for its higher yield (2.1% vs 1.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric EEM IJH
Expense Ratio 0.72% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 1.3%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category Emerging Markets US Mid Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

60 76 92 108 124 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
EEM +5.8%
IJH +28.1%

Performance Comparison

Period EEM IJH Difference
1 Month -6.94% -5.55% -1.39%
3 Months +1.76% +1.78% -0.02%
6 Months +5.53% +3.54% +1.99%
YTD +1.76% +1.78% -0.02%
1 Year +30.54% +16.09% +14.45%
3 Years +44.74% +36.14% +8.60%
5 Years +5.84% +28.09% -22.25%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period EEM Fees IJH Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $1.397 $100 $1.297
$10.000 20 years $5.836 $430 $5.407
$10.000 30 years $18.296 $1.388 $16.907
$50.000 10 years $6.984 $499 $6.486
$50.000 30 years $91.478 $6.941 $84.537
$100.000 30 years $182.957 $13.882 $169.074

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric EEM IJH
Annualized Volatility 18.6% 19.8%
Max Drawdown -39.5% -24.6%
Sharpe Ratio -0.09 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric EEM IJH
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.22 $0.89
Dividend Yield 2.12% 1.31%
Distribution Frequency Semi-Annual or Annual Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

EEM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/233013.38%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059305.37%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.82%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006603.17%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.55%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.95%
Delta Electronics, Inc.!tpe/23080.88%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.87%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.82%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.75%

IJH Top Holdings

NameWeight
TechnipFMC plcFTI0.92%
Casey's General Stores, Inc.CASY0.84%
Curtiss-Wright CorporationCW0.78%
Flex Ltd.FLEX0.76%
United Therapeutics CorporationUTHR0.72%
XPO, Inc.XPO0.70%
Woodward, Inc.WWD0.67%
US Foods Holding Corp.USFD0.64%
FabrinetFN0.63%
Burlington Stores, Inc.BURL0.62%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IJH if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose EEM if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose EEM if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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