# iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML): ETF Facts & Distributions

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- Issuer: IShares · Asset class: Equity
- Strategy: Passive Index · Inception: 2004-06-28

ISCB holds small-cap stocks that fall into Morningstar's classifications as both growth and value. The fund selects companies from its parent, the Morningstar US Market Extended Index, that have market capitalization in the 90th and 99.5th percentile. The index provider uses a proprietary methodology that classifies stocks as either growth or value companies based on earnings, cash flow and other valuations metrics. Stocks that fall under both categories are tagged as blend and are thereby included in the index. The index is rebalanced quarterly. Before March 19, 2021, this fund tracked the...

## Key Facts

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $71.58 |
| Expense Ratio | 0.04% |
| Assets Under Management | $273.8M |
| NAV | $72.06 |
| Holdings Count | 1664 |
| Distribution Yield (TTM) | 1.36% |
| Annual Distribution (TTM) | $0.97 /share |
| Distribution Frequency | Quarterly |
| 52-Week Range | $60.51 – $77.55 |
| Beta | 1.08 |

## Latest Distribution

- Amount: $0.2521 /share
- Ex-date: 2026-09-15
- Pay date: 2026-09-18

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does MSML invest in?

ISCB holds small-cap stocks that fall into Morningstar's classifications as both growth and value. The fund selects companies from its parent, the Morningstar US Market Extended Index, that have market capitalization in the 90th and 99.5th percentile. The index provider uses a proprietary methodology that classifies stocks as either growth or value companies based on earnings, cash flow and other valuations metrics. Stocks that fall under both categories are tagged as blend and are thereby included in the index. The index is rebalanced quarterly. Before March 19, 2021, this fund tracked the Morningstar US Small Core Index, under the ticker JKJ.

### What is the expense ratio of MSML?

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML) charges an expense ratio of 0.04%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations.

### How big is MSML?

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML) manages $273.8M 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 MSML actively managed or an index fund?

MSML 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 (MSML's is 0.04%) because there's no security selection cost.

### When was MSML launched?

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML) launched in June 2004 and is managed by IShares.

### How has MSML performed?

MSML'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 MSML pay a dividend?

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.36%. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab.

### How often does MSML pay dividends?

iShares 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 MSML's dividend yield?

MSML's trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.36%, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price.

### When is MSML's next ex-dividend date?

The most recently announced ex-dividend date for MSML 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 MSML's expense ratio cost me over 30 years?

On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.04% 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 MSML charge its expense ratio?

The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from MSML'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 MSML cost more than a fund like VOO?

MSML is a passive index fund (current expense ratio 0.04%). 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 MSML?

The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as MSML (0.04%) 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/msml
- Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/msml/dividend
- Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/msml/diversification
- Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/msml/expenses
- Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/msml/peers

Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.