Should John Hancock Multifactor Small Cap ETF (JHSC) Be on Your Investing Radar?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, look no further than the John Hancock Multifactor Small Cap ETF (JHSC), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on November 8, 2017.The fund is sponsored by John Hancock. It has amassed assets over $681.17 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.Why Small Cap BlendWith more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics. CostsExpense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.42%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.98%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsIt is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Industrials sector -- about 18.6% of the portfolio. Financials and Information Technology round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Darling Ingredients Inc (DAR) accounts for about 0.58% of total assets, followed by Littelfuse Inc (LFUS) and Element Solutions Inc (ESI).The top 10 holdings account for about 4.71% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskJHSC seeks to match the performance of the JOHN HANCOCK DIMENSIONAL SMALL CAP INDEX before fees and expenses. The John Hancock Dimensional Small Cap Index is designed to comprise a subset of securities in the U.S. Universe issued by companies whose market capitalizations are smaller than the 750th largest U.S. company but excluding the smallest 4% of U.S. companies at the time of reconstitution.The ETF has added about 14.65% so far this year and it's up approximately 25.1% in the last one year (as of 06/25/2026). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $38.91 and $48.14.The ETF has a beta of 1.00 and standard deviation of 18.46% for the trailing three-year period. With about 493 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesJohn Hancock Multifactor Small Cap ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, JHSC is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 ETF has $82.45 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has $107.55 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.Bottom-LinePassively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.To 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 >>This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks