Fresh ETF Matchups: Small-Cap Value’s Lower Fees, Mid-Cap Value’s Milder Drawdowns

Overview

• Vanguard’s VBR (0.07%) and iShares’ ISCV (0.06%) undercut IJJ (0.18%) and IWN (0.24%) on fees, shaping long‑term cost outcomes.
• Scale diverges sharply with VBR at about $59.6 billion in assets versus roughly $8.0 billion for IJJ and about $578.6 million for ISCV.
• Holdings breadth favors small-cap funds as ISCV owns about 1,093 stocks and VBR holds 840, compared with IJJ’s 309 mid-cap names.
• Recent results split by horizon with ISCV topping IJJ over 1 year while IJJ led over 5 years, and with VBR trailing IWN over 1 year but showing a smaller five‑year drawdown than IWN.
• Sector tilts differ by design as small-cap funds lean toward industrials and financials in varying mixes, while IJJ’s mid-cap portfolio skews to financial services and industrials with a slightly higher liquidity profile.