At a glance
IJT charges 0.18% a year, above the 0.13% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 8th cheapest of 9). It has $8.22B in assets, the 3rd largest of that group; it paid 0.77% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +14.4% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 8th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +17.7% a year. At its worst it fell 39.9% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 27.6% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 8 months and 22 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 10.9% of the fund, out of 347 in all.
The short version
iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) is a BlackRock index fund. It holds the growth half of the S&P SmallCap 600, a list of smaller U.S. companies, and spreads its money across about 347 stocks. Its 0.18% expense ratio costs more than two near-twins with the same stocks: SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (SLYG) at 0.15% and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (VIOG) at 0.10%.
Price history
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IJT +14.4% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IJT official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +5.20% | — | +5.36% | +9.60% | — |
| S And P Total Market Index index, same period | — | +17.05% | — | +13.07% | +14.22% | — |
| IJT price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +16.4% | +14.4% | +17.7% | +5.3% | +10.7% | +9.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, IJT returned +14.4%, 8th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +5.3% and its 10-year +10.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 39.9% and regained its old high 7.6 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2008 (-33.6%); its best was 2013 (+41.7%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 57.8% (Oct 10, 2007 to Mar 9, 2009), recovered by Jan 14, 2011.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +16.4% | — |
| 2025 | +5.3% | +5.20% |
| 2024 | +9.3% | +9.42% |
| 2023 | +17.1% | +16.97% |
| 2022 | -21.3% | -21.24% |
| 2021 | +22.4% | +22.40% |
| 2020 | +19.2% | +19.17% |
| 2019 | +21.0% | +20.82% |
| 2018 | -4.4% | -4.28% |
| 2017 | +14.5% | +14.57% |
| 2016 | +21.9% | +22.00% |
| 2015 | +2.7% | — |
| 2014 | +3.9% | — |
| 2013 | +41.7% | — |
| 2012 | +13.7% | — |
| 2011 | +2.9% | — |
| 2010 | +27.6% | — |
| 2009 | +28.5% | — |
| 2008 | -33.6% | — |
| 2007 | +5.5% | — |
| 2006 | +10.4% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Lost 57.8% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 57.8%, back to its old high 22.2 months after the low |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 39.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 39.9%, back to its old high 7.6 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 25.6% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 27.6%, back to its old high 21.6 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.8400 | |
| 2025 | $1.2700 | -11.8% |
| 2024 | $1.4400 | +13.4% |
| 2023 | $1.2700 | +8.5% |
| 2022 | $1.1700 | +34.5% |
| 2021 | $0.8700 | +10.8% |
| 2020 | $0.7850 | -11.3% |
| 2019 | $0.8850 | +18.8% |
| 2018 | $0.7450 | +2.1% |
| 2017 | $0.7300 | +13.6% |
| 2016 | $0.6425 | -9.5% |
| 2015 | $0.7100 | +85.4% |
| 2014 | $0.3830 | +84.1% |
| 2013 | $0.2080 | -29.6% |
| 2012 | $0.2953 | +145.1% |
| 2011 | $0.1205 | -23.4% |
| 2010 | $0.1573 | +188.6% |
| 2009 | $0.0545 | -48.6% |
| 2008 | $0.1060 | +140.9% |
| 2007 | $0.0440 | +3.0% |
| 2006 | $0.0427 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 347 securities; the ten largest made up 10.89% of assets. It also reported 9.21% in a money-market fund, most likely cash collateral from lending out shares rather than uninvested money.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| FormFactor, Inc. | 1.36% | |
| Viasat, Inc. | 1.33% | |
| Argan, Inc. | 1.22% | |
| BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. | 1.21% | |
| Krystal Biotech, Inc. | 1.07% | |
| ESCO Technologies, Inc. | 0.99% | |
| Alkermes plc | 0.96% | |
| Everus Construction Group, Inc. | 0.93% | |
| StoneX Group, Inc. | 0.91% | |
| Corcept Therapeutics, Inc. | 0.91% | |
| Powell Industries, Inc. | 0.89% | |
| Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. | 0.89% | |
| Enpro, Inc. | 0.87% | |
| Federal Signal Corp. | 0.86% | |
| MYR Group, Inc. | 0.85% |
By country
United States 95.6%Ireland 0.96%United Kingdom 0.69%Puerto Rico 0.53%Bermuda 0.42%By asset type
Stocks 98.65%Other 0%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $162.0M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +11.65%, +1.05%, +9.56%.
How it works
IJT tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, which is built by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The index starts with the S&P SmallCap 600 and keeps the stocks with the strongest growth traits. It uses three measures: the three-year change in earnings per share compared with the share price, three-year growth in sales per share, and momentum (the share price change over 12 months). As of March 31, 2026, the growth index made up about 49.30% of the parent index's market value. To join the parent index, a company needed a market capitalization (the total value of its shares) between $354 million and $8.7 billion. Healthcare, industrials and technology made up a large part of the index.
The index rebalances every quarter. It caps any one company at 23% and holds all companies above 4.8% to 50% combined. In practice, positions are small. As of June 30, 2026, the largest were FormFactor (1.36%), Viasat (1.33%) and Argan (1.22%), and the top 10 together came to 10.89%.
BlackRock Fund Advisors uses representative sampling. That means the fund may hold a sample of stocks that behaves like the index rather than every stock in it. At least 80% of assets must be in index stocks. The fund may also use derivatives, hold cash and lend out up to one-third of its assets. Portfolio turnover was 50%.
What it really costs
- IJT charges 0.18% a year, versus an average of 0.13% for the similar funds below (8th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $18 in the first year and $230 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IJT | $18 | $58 | $101 | $230 |
In a retirement portfolio
It concentrates on small growth companies that have fallen much harder than the broad market in past downturns, so it fits better as a smaller slice than as a foundation.
IJT could add smaller, faster-growing U.S. companies that large-cap funds barely hold. The price is a bumpy ride. The fund fell 57.8% in the 2008 financial crisis and took about 22 months after the March 2009 low to recover, by January 14, 2011. It dropped 39.9% in the 2020 COVID crash and recovered by November 9, 2020. It fell 27.6% in 2022 and did not recover until July 16, 2024. Its worst calendar year was 2008, when it lost 33.6%. Someone who had to sell shares in those stretches would have locked in steep losses.
There is little income. The trailing yield was 0.77% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 costs about $230 over 10 years at the 0.18% expense ratio. Similar funds average 0.13%. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors adding a small-cap growth slice alongside large-cap funds, spread across about 347 stocks with no single holding above 1.4% as of June 30, 2026.
- Long-term holders who can sit through deep drops, like the fund's 57.8% fall in 2008–09 and its 27.6% decline in 2022.
- People who want a rules-based screen of earnings, sales growth and price momentum from S&P Dow Jones Indices rather than a manager's stock picks.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: VIOG charges 0.10% and SLYG 0.15% for largely the same stocks, compared with IJT's 0.18%.
- Those seeking income: the trailing yield was just 0.77% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Anyone who may need the money within a few years: after the 2022 drop, the fund took until July 2024 to recover.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IJT this fund | — | 0.18% | $8.22B | +14.4% | +17.7% |
| SLYG SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF | 98% | 0.15% | $5.20B | +14.6% | +17.7% |
| VIOG Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF | 88% | 0.1% | $1.09B | +14.5% | +17.9% |
| XJR iShares ESG Select Screened S&P Small-Cap E… | 63% | 0.12% | $160.7M | +15.1% | +18.5% |
| SPSM SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 63% | 0.03% | $16.92B | +21.7% | +17.4% |
| IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 62% | 0.06% | $111.32B | +21.7% | +17.4% |
| VIOO Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF | 59% | 0.07% | $6.45B | +16.7% | +18.6% |
| QVMS Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 QVM Multi-factor E… | 59% | 0.15% | $248.2M | +17.1% | +18.9% |
Questions investors ask
Is IJT good for retirement?
IJT may fit as a smaller, higher-risk part of a retirement portfolio rather than its core. It holds about 347 small U.S. growth stocks. It has fallen hard in downturns: 57.8% in the 2008 crisis, 39.9% in the 2020 COVID crash and 27.6% in 2022. Its yield was only 0.77% as of October 27, 2026, so it adds little income. Investors who can wait out long recoveries may find it more workable than those who need to sell during a slump.
What's the difference between IJT and SLYG?
Very little in what they own. Both track the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, and their holdings overlapped by 98%. The main difference is cost: SLYG charges 0.15% and IJT 0.18%. Their one-year price returns were close, 14.6% for SLYG and 14.4% for IJT as of October 27, 2026. IJT is larger, with about $8.2 billion in net assets against SLYG's $5.2 billion as of June 30, 2026. Vanguard's VIOG follows the same index for 0.10%.
Does IJT pay dividends?
Yes, IJT pays dividends quarterly, but they are small. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.26 per share, a trailing yield of 0.77%. That is typical of growth stocks. These companies tend to put their profits back into the business instead of paying them out. Investors looking mainly for income from their holdings would likely need other sources.
What is IJT's expense ratio?
IJT's expense ratio is 0.18%, according to its prospectus filed July 27, 2026. In the SEC's standard example ($10,000 invested, 5% annual return), that works out to about $18 after one year, $101 after five years and $230 after 10 years. Similar funds average 0.13%. IJT ranks 8th of 9 on cost among them, behind VIOG at 0.10% and SLYG at 0.15%, which follow the same index.
How has IJT performed over 10 years?
IJT returned an average of 9.6% a year over the 10 years through December 31, 2025, according to its prospectus. Over the same period, the S&P Total Market Index returned 14.22% a year. Over five years, IJT averaged 5.36% a year, held back by its 21.24% loss in 2022. Based on price data, IJT's 10-year annualized return was 10.7% as of October 27, 2026.