At a glance
GLOF charges 0.2% a year, above the 0.07% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 8th cheapest of 9). It has $216.2M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 1.54% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +16.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +25.1% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 24.4% of the fund, out of 696 in all.
The short version
iShares Global Equity Factor ETF (GLOF) tracks the STOXX Global Equity Factor Index. The index holds large and mid-sized companies from developed and emerging markets and tilts toward five traits: momentum, quality, value, low volatility and smaller size. It aims for risk close to the broad global market. Its 0.20% annual fee is above the 0.07% average for similar funds, and at about $216 million in assets as of July 31, 2026, it is small.
Price history
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GLOF +16.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLOF official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +17.46% | — | +9.36% | — | +8.05% |
| S And P Global Broad Market Index Net index, same period | — | +16.24% | — | +9.44% | — | +8.41% |
| STOXX Global Equity Factor Index Spliced index, same period | — | +17.12% | — | +9.47% | — | +8.20% |
| GLOF price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +15.3% | +16.1% | +25.1% | — | — | +21.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, GLOF returned +16.1%, 1st of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+17.5%); its best was 2025 (+23.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 16.1% (Feb 18, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by May 15, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +15.3% | — |
| 2025 | +23.9% | — |
| 2024 | +17.5% | +17.46% |
| 2023 | — | +22.37% |
| 2022 | — | -16.56% |
| 2021 | — | +18.54% |
| 2020 | — | +10.04% |
| 2019 | — | +22.96% |
| 2018 | — | -12.79% |
| 2017 | — | +29.63% |
| 2016 | — | +5.13% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Not in the price data, which starts Mar 15, 2023 |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Not in the price data, which starts Mar 15, 2023 |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.4500 | |
| 2025 | $0.8900 | -21.2% |
| 2024 | $1.1300 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 696 securities; the ten largest made up 24.39% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA CORPORATION | 4.56% | |
| APPLE INC. | 4.35% | |
| ALPHABET INC. | 3.56% | |
| MICROSOFT CORPORATION | 3.25% | |
| AMAZON.COM, INC. | 2.37% | |
| BROADCOM INC. | 1.86% | |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited | 1.39% | |
| META PLATFORMS, INC. | 1.07% | |
| Novartis AG | 1.02% | |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. | 0.96% | |
| ELI LILLY AND COMPANY | 0.83% | |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. | 0.76% | |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 0.74% | |
| ABBVIE INC. | 0.70% | |
| The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation | 0.68% |
By country
United States 57.86%Japan 6.75%South Korea 2.9%Taiwan 2.81%United Kingdom 2.8%By asset type
Stocks 98.74%Other 1%Preferred stock 0.01%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 53.2% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jul 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $11.8M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +4.76%, -0.52%, +0.61%.
How it works
The index starts with the STOXX World AC Index. That index weights large and mid-sized companies in developed and emerging markets by the value of their freely traded shares, covering roughly the top 85% of each country's investable market. STOXX then uses an optimization process, a computer model that picks and weights stocks, to get the most exposure to five 'factors,' or traits: momentum (rising prices and earnings), quality (profitability, little share dilution, plus carbon emissions intensity and greenhouse gas reduction targets rated by ISS), value (cheap compared with book value, earnings, dividends and cash flow), low volatility (steadier prices over the past 12 months) and smaller size.
The model has limits. Country and industry weights must stay near the parent index's, turnover is kept down, and overall risk should match the parent's. No single stock can top 10%, and stocks above 4.5% must add up to less than 22.5%. The index is reviewed and rebalanced quarterly. Portfolio turnover was 25%.
BlackRock uses representative sampling, meaning it may hold a sample that behaves like the index instead of every stock. It invests at least 80% in index stocks and may use futures, cash and similar tools with the rest. As of July 31, 2026, the fund held 696 stocks, with 57.9% in US companies and NVIDIA (4.6%) and Apple (4.4%) as its largest positions.
What it really costs
- GLOF charges 0.2% a year, versus an average of 0.07% for the similar funds below (8th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $20 in the first year and $255 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLOF | $20 | $64 | $113 | $255 |
In a retirement portfolio
It spreads money across nearly 700 stocks worldwide, aiming for risk close to the global market, so it could serve as a main stock holding.
GLOF launched in April 2015, so it has no record from 2008. Its prospectus shows a 22.7% loss in the first quarter of 2020, though it finished that year up 10.04%. Its worst calendar year was 2022, when it lost 16.56%. Its deepest recent drop was 16.1%, from February 18 to April 8, 2025, and it recovered by May 15, 2025. Selling shares during drops like these would lock in losses, so a cash or bond reserve could help someone who needs withdrawals. The yield was 1.54% for the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid twice a year, so it is not an income fund. In the SEC's $10,000 example, costs come to $20 after one year. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want one global stock fund that tilts toward momentum, quality, value, low volatility and smaller companies while aiming for market-like risk.
- Those who want a factor approach that reaches beyond the US into Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, Switzerland and emerging markets.
- Investors who like that carbon emissions intensity and greenhouse gas reduction targets count toward each company's quality score.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.20% fee is above the 0.07% average for similar funds and ranked 8th of 9 on cost.
- People seeking steady income: the trailing yield was 1.54% as of October 27, 2026, with payments only twice a year.
- Investors who want a large fund: at about $216 million as of July 31, 2026, GLOF was the smallest of nine compared funds.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLOF this fund | — | 0.2% | $216.2M | +16.1% | +25.1% |
| LRGF iShares US Equity Factor ETF | 54% | 0.08% | $3.58B | +12.2% | +25.2% |
| BKLC BNY Mellon US Large Cap Core Equity ETF | 47% | 0% | $5.47B | +13.4% | +25.4% |
| USPX Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 47% | 0.03% | $1.98B | +12.9% | +24.9% |
| SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 46% | 0.0945% | $781.19B | +11.5% | +21.9% |
| VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 46% | 0.03% | $1.67T | +12.4% | +23.6% |
| IVV iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | 46% | 0.03% | $888.13B | +11.5% | +22.0% |
| SPYX SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF | 46% | 0.2% | $2.74B | +12.6% | +24.8% |
Questions investors ask
What is GLOF's expense ratio?
GLOF's expense ratio is 0.20% a year, according to its prospectus filed November 21, 2025, with no fee waiver. That's above the 0.07% average for similar funds and ranks 8th of 9 on cost. In the SEC's standard example of $10,000 growing 5% a year, costs would total about $20 after one year, $113 after five years and $255 after ten. VOO and IVV charge 0.03%, but they hold only S&P 500 companies, not stocks from around the world.
What's the difference between GLOF and LRGF?
GLOF invests worldwide, while LRGF, the iShares US Equity Factor ETF, holds only US stocks, as its name says. About 54% of their holdings overlap, the most of any similar fund. LRGF charges 0.08% a year versus 0.20% for GLOF. It also had about $3.6 billion in assets versus $216 million as of July 31, 2026. In the year to October 27, 2026, GLOF returned 16.1% and LRGF 12.2%. Over three years, both averaged about 25% a year.
Does GLOF pay dividends?
Yes. GLOF pays dividends twice a year. In the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.93 per share, for a trailing yield of 1.54%. Dividend yield is one of the value signals the index uses, but the fund isn't built for income. The payout is modest and can change as the index rebalances each quarter and the companies it holds raise or cut their dividends.
Has GLOF beaten the global stock market?
Over longer periods, not quite. As of December 31, 2024, GLOF's five-year average annual return was 9.36%, compared with 9.44% for the S&P Global Broad Market Index and 9.47% for its own index. Since its April 2015 launch, it averaged 8.05% a year, against 8.41% for the broad index. It did better in 2024, returning 17.46% versus 16.24%. Factor tilts can help in some years and hurt in others.
What are GLOF's top holdings?
As of July 31, 2026, GLOF's largest holdings were NVIDIA (4.6%), Apple (4.4%), Alphabet (3.6%), Microsoft (3.3%) and Amazon (2.4%). Next came Broadcom, Taiwan Semiconductor, Meta Platforms, Novartis and JPMorgan Chase. The top 10 made up 24.4% of a portfolio of 696 holdings. US companies made up 57.9% of the fund and Japan 6.8%. Among holdings with sector data, technology was the largest group.