ESMV: ISHARES ESG OPTIMIZED MSCI USA MIN VOL FACTOR ETF
ESMV: ISHARES ESG OPTIMIZED MSCI USA MIN VOL FACTOR ETF
What this ETF is trying to do
The ISHARES ESG OPTIMIZED MSCI USA MIN VOL FACTOR ETF (ESMV) is designed to invest in U.S. companies while focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and lower volatility. This means the fund looks for stocks that may experience smaller price swings compared to the broader market.
What the numbers show
The data shows that ESMV has seen growth in both its share price and its total return.
• Year-to-Date (YTD): The price return is approximately 9.89%, while the total return is approximately 11.02%.
• One-Year: The price return was approximately 9.00%, and the total return was approximately 10.61%.
• Three-Year: The price return was approximately 37.87%, and the total return was approximately 44.74%.
It is important to remember that price return only measures the change in the share price. Total return includes both the price change and the value of any distributions paid out.
An estimated price from roughly one year ago was $29.07. The current price is $31.69.
Income and distribution explanation
ESMV provides cash distributions to investors. The current distribution yield is approximately 1.37%. This yield represents the cash distributions relative to the ETF's price. The fund usually pays out on a quarterly basis, having made 4 payments over the last 12 months.
NAV erosion explanation
"NAV erosion" refers to a decline in the Net Asset Value (the actual value of the assets held by the fund). The supplied data is sufficient to evaluate price erosion, but it does not include enough historical NAV-per-share data to confirm or rule out NAV erosion.
However, regarding price erosion (the decline in the market price of the shares), the fund has an erosion score of 100, which is labeled as "No price erosion detected." There is no severe erosion-risk flag for this ETF.
Top Holdings
The following are some of the top holdings in the fund (note that this is a partial list):
• ServiceNow Inc (1.65%)
• Advanced Micro Devices Inc (1.62%)
• NVIDIA Corp (1.61%)
• Microsoft Corp (1.58%)
• The Travelers Companies Inc (1.53%)
• Merck & Co Inc (1.52%)
• Welltower Inc (1.50%)
Holdings can change over time. This data was updated on October 11, 2026.
Pros
• The fund has shown positive price returns and total returns over the one-year and three-year periods.
• The erosion-risk score indicates no price erosion has been detected.
Cons
• The distribution yield is relatively low at approximately 1.37%.
Beginner takeaway
ESMV is an ETF that focuses on ESG factors and lower volatility. While it provides some income through quarterly distributions, its primary growth has been seen in its price and total returns. Always remember that a distribution yield is not the same as a total return.
Top Holdings
Structured portfolio holdings supplied by the ETF data provider. These figures are not generated by the AI article.
| # | Holding | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SERVICENOW INC | NOW | 1.65% |
| 2 | ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | AMD | 1.62% |
| 3 | NVIDIA CORP | NVDA | 1.61% |
| 4 | MICROSOFT CORP | MSFT | 1.58% |
| 5 | THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES INC | TRV | 1.53% |
| 6 | MERCK & CO INC | MRK | 1.52% |
| 7 | WELLTOWER INC | WELL | 1.50% |
| 8 | APPLIED MATERIALS INC | AMAT | 1.46% |
| 9 | BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP | BNY | 1.44% |
| 10 | VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC | VZ | 1.44% |