ETF Versus

IEFA vs IJH

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF vs iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

IEFA iShares

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.07%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.46%. Launched in 2012, the fund has a 14-year track record.

AUM: $164.3B ER: 0.07% Yield: 3.46% Since: Oct 18, 2012
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 has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.05% vs 0.07%), saving about $40 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, IEFA has significantly outperformed with a 21.2% return vs 16.1%. Income investors may prefer IEFA for its higher yield (3.5% vs 1.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric IEFA IJH
Expense Ratio 0.07% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 3.5% 1.3%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category International Developed US Mid Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 84 98 112 126 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IEFA +24.0%
IJH +28.1%

Performance Comparison

Period IEFA IJH Difference
1 Month -4.68% -5.55% +0.87%
3 Months +1.73% +1.78% -0.05%
6 Months +3.46% +3.54% -0.08%
YTD +1.73% +1.78% -0.05%
1 Year +21.19% +16.09% +5.10%
3 Years +36.36% +36.14% +0.22%
5 Years +23.97% +28.09% -4.12%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IEFA Fees IJH Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $140 $100 $40
$10.000 20 years $600 $430 $171
$10.000 30 years $1.938 $1.388 $550
$50.000 10 years $698 $499 $199
$50.000 30 years $9.692 $6.941 $2.751
$100.000 30 years $19.383 $13.882 $5.501

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IEFA IJH
Annualized Volatility 16.6% 19.8%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -24.6%
Sharpe Ratio 0.07 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric IEFA IJH
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.18 $0.89
Dividend Yield 3.46% 1.31%
Distribution Frequency Semi-Annual or Annual Quarterly

Top Holdings

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

IEFA Top Holdings

NameWeight
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML2.18%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN1.25%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.21%
Roche Holding AG!swx/ROP1.17%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA1.16%
Shell plc!lon/SHEL1.12%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN1.05%
Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/72030.85%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia!asx/CBA0.85%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.!tyo/83060.81%

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 IEFA if...

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

Choose IEFA if...

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

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