VBR vs. ISCV: Vanguard’s Small‑Cap Value Giant Tops Liquidity as iShares Shaves Fees and Widens the Basket

Overview

• VBR’s scale dominates with about $59.6 billion in assets versus roughly $574.6 million for ISCV, supporting deeper liquidity for the Vanguard fund.
• ISCV charges a 0.06% expense ratio compared with VBR’s 0.07% fee, a marginal cost edge that can compound over time.
• Over five years, $1,000 grew to about $1,502 in VBR versus $1,472 in ISCV, with VBR also showing a smaller maximum drawdown (46.57% vs. 50.84%).
• Income and risk metrics diverge, as VBR posts a 1.97% dividend yield and a 1.01 beta compared with ISCV’s 1.89% yield and 1.22 beta.
• Portfolios differ in breadth and tilts, with VBR holding about 831 stocks and ISCV owning 1,100+ names alongside distinct sector weights in Industrials, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary; both track passive small‑cap value indexes without leverage or hedging.