# iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (ESML): ETF Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: IShares · Asset class: Equity - Strategy: Passive Index · Inception: 2018-04-10 The iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF endeavors to mirror the investment performance of a specially constructed index. This benchmark is engineered to achieve returns comparable to a typical market-capitalization-weighted index composed of smaller U.S. companies. However, it differentiates itself by prioritizing and allocating a greater share of its investments to those firms demonstrating robust environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, as evaluated by the index's creator. ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $52.69 | | Expense Ratio | 0.17% | | Assets Under Management | $2.69B | | NAV | $52.67 | | Holdings Count | 902 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | 0.96% | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | $0.50 /share | | Distribution Frequency | Quarterly | | 52-Week Range | $42.87 – $56.75 | | Beta | 1.07 | ## Latest Distribution - Amount: $0.1511 /share - Ex-date: 2026-09-15 - Pay date: 2026-09-18 ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does ESML invest in? The iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF endeavors to mirror the investment performance of a specially constructed index. This benchmark is engineered to achieve returns comparable to a typical market-capitalization-weighted index composed of smaller U.S. companies. However, it differentiates itself by prioritizing and allocating a greater share of its investments to those firms demonstrating robust environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, as evaluated by the index's creator. ### What is the expense ratio of ESML? iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (ESML) charges an expense ratio of 0.17%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### How big is ESML? iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (ESML) manages $2.69B in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is ESML actively managed or an index fund? ESML is a passive index fund. It tracks a published benchmark by holding the constituents in their published weights. Index funds typically charge low expense ratios (ESML's is 0.17%) because there's no security selection cost. ### When was ESML launched? iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (ESML) launched in April 2018 and is managed by IShares. ### How has ESML performed? ESML's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon. ### Does ESML pay a dividend? iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (ESML) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is 0.96%. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab. ### How often does ESML pay dividends? iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF pays dividends Quarterly. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page. ### What is ESML's dividend yield? ESML's trailing-twelve-month yield is 0.96%, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price. ### When is ESML's next ex-dividend date? The most recently announced ex-dividend date for ESML was 2026-09-15. The next ex-date typically follows Quarterly; once announced it appears at the top of the dividend history table on this page. ### How much will ESML's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.17% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees. ### How does ESML charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from ESML's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price. ### Why does ESML cost more than a fund like VOO? ESML is a passive index fund (current expense ratio 0.17%). Differences from broad-market ETFs like VOO usually come from index licensing fees, asset class (bond funds typically run cheaper than equity), or fund scale (smaller funds spread fixed operating costs across less AUM). ### Are there cheaper alternatives to ESML? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as ESML (0.17%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want. ## More on Dividend Data - Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/esml/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.