ETF Versus

IEFA vs IJR

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF vs iShares Core S&P Small-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
IJR iShares

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.28%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $90.2B ER: 0.06% Yield: 1.28% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.06% vs 0.07%), so fees are not a differentiator here. IEFA has edged ahead over the past year (21.2% vs 19.2%). Income investors may prefer IEFA for its higher yield (3.5% vs 1.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric IEFA IJR
Expense Ratio 0.07% 0.06%
Dividend Yield 3.5% 1.3%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category International Developed US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 83 96 109 122 135 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IEFA +24.0%
IJR +13.0%

Performance Comparison

Period IEFA IJR Difference
1 Month -4.68% -4.33% -0.35%
3 Months +1.73% +2.92% -1.19%
6 Months +3.46% +4.03% -0.57%
YTD +1.73% +2.92% -1.19%
1 Year +21.19% +19.20% +1.99%
3 Years +36.36% +29.06% +7.30%
5 Years +23.97% +12.98% +10.99%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IEFA Fees IJR Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $140 $120 $20
$10.000 20 years $600 $515 $85
$10.000 30 years $1.938 $1.664 $275
$50.000 10 years $698 $598 $99
$50.000 30 years $9.692 $8.318 $1.373
$100.000 30 years $19.383 $16.637 $2.747

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IEFA IJR
Annualized Volatility 16.6% 21.6%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -28.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.07 0.01

Dividend Comparison

Metric IEFA IJR
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.18 $1.60
Dividend Yield 3.46% 1.28%
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%

IJR Top Holdings

NameWeight
BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCYXTSLA1.37%
Eastman Chemical CompanyEMN0.54%
Viavi Solutions Inc.VIAV0.53%
Argan, Inc.AGX0.52%
Primoris Services CorporationPRIM0.52%
FormFactor, Inc.FORM0.51%
Element Solutions IncESI0.51%
LKQ CorporationLKQ0.50%
SM Energy CompanySM0.49%
ESCO Technologies Inc.ESE0.48%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IEFA if...

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

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