At a glance
ROSC charges 0.34% a year, below the 0.43% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 9). It has $61.5M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 1.93% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +24.4% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +19.9% a year. At its worst it fell 39.9% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 21.1% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 8 months and 15 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 10.9% of the fund, out of 302 in all.
The short version
Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF (ROSC) is an index fund that tracks the Hartford Multifactor Small Cap Index. The index is a rules-based mix of roughly 250 to 350 smaller US companies, chosen for value, momentum and quality. It aims for up to 15% less volatility than a standard small-cap index over a full market cycle. Its 0.34% expense ratio is below the 0.43% average of similar funds, though some peers cost less.
Price history
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ROSC +24.4% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROSC official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +7.43% | — | +9.56% | — | +8.34% |
| ROSC price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +19.4% | +24.4% | +19.9% | +9.7% | +10.7% | +9.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ROSC returned +24.4%, 4th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +9.7% and its 10-year +10.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 39.9% and regained its old high 8 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2018 (-12.4%); its best was 2021 (+31.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 43.1% (Jan 26, 2018 to Mar 18, 2020), recovered by Dec 15, 2020.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +19.4% | — |
| 2025 | +10.2% | — |
| 2024 | +7.3% | +7.43% |
| 2023 | +18.9% | +18.89% |
| 2022 | -10.6% | -10.66% |
| 2021 | +31.3% | +30.96% |
| 2020 | +5.2% | +5.65% |
| 2019 | +17.1% | +16.79% |
| 2018 | -12.4% | -11.87% |
| 2017 | +24.5% | +23.64% |
| 2016 | +15.0% | +15.37% |
| 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 | Lost 39.3% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 39.9%, back to its old high 8 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 17.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 21.1%, back to its old high 14.6 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.6900 | |
| 2025 | $0.9700 | +11.5% |
| 2024 | $0.8700 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | $0.8300 | +53.7% |
| 2022 | $0.5400 | -37.2% |
| 2021 | $0.8600 | +56.4% |
| 2020 | $0.5500 | -40.9% |
| 2019 | $0.9300 | +20.8% |
| 2018 | $0.7700 | +14.9% |
| 2017 | $0.6700 | +17.5% |
| 2016 | $0.5700 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 302 securities; the ten largest made up 10.94% of assets. It also reported 3.75% in a money-market fund, most likely cash collateral from lending out shares rather than uninvested money.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Garrett Motion Inc | 1.37% | |
| National HealthCare Corp | 1.24% | |
| BrightSpring Health Services Inc | 1.18% | |
| Pediatrix Medical Group Inc | 1.16% | |
| Organon & Co | 1.10% | |
| Indivior Pharmaceuticals Inc | 1.10% | |
| Harmony Biosciences Holdings Inc | 1.06% | |
| HNI Corp | 0.92% | |
| Rush Enterprises Inc | 0.91% | |
| Dillard's Inc | 0.90% | |
| Frequency Electronics Inc | 0.88% | |
| United Fire Group Inc | 0.86% | |
| Haemonetics Corp | 0.85% | |
| IDT Corp | 0.84% | |
| Universal Insurance Holdings Inc | 0.84% |
By country
United States 93.67%Bermuda 1.93%Canada 1.02%Puerto Rico 0.98%Marshall Islands 0.79%By asset type
Stocks 99.73%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $2.6M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +0.90%, +6.61%, -0.07%.
How it works
ROSC is passive. It tries to match the Hartford Multifactor Small Cap Index (LROSCX), not beat it. Hartford's adviser, Lattice Strategies, designed the index, and Solactive AG calculates it. The starting pool is the smallest 2,000 or fewer of the 3,000 largest US companies, ranked by free-float market value (the value of shares the public can actually trade). As of September 30, 2025, index companies ranged from $109 million to $11.5 billion in size.
From that pool, the rules favor companies with a good mix of "factors." These are traits that research links to long-run returns: value (a low price compared with fundamentals), momentum (recent price strength) and quality (sound finances). The rules also manage volatility, liquidity and concentration. The goal is up to 15% less volatility than a market-cap-weighted small-cap index over a full cycle. The index is rebuilt and reweighted twice a year, in March and September.
As of July 31, 2026, the fund held 302 stocks. The top 10 made up 10.94% of assets, led by Garrett Motion (1.37%), National HealthCare (1.24%) and BrightSpring Health Services (1.18%). At least 80% of assets go into index stocks. The rest may sit in cash, money market funds or derivatives, such as a tiny Russell 2000 futures position, to help track the index. Portfolio turnover was 25%.
What it really costs
- ROSC charges 0.34% a year, versus an average of 0.43% for the similar funds below (3rd of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $35 in the first year and $431 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROSC | $35 | $109 | $191 | $431 |
In a retirement portfolio
It adds US small-company stocks with a value, momentum and quality tilt, which can complement a portfolio built around large-cap funds.
ROSC could add small-company exposure next to large-cap holdings, but its drops have still been deep. It launched in 2015, so it has no record from 2008. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 39.9% in under a month and took about 8 months to recover. In 2022 it fell 21.1% and needed about 15 months to get back. Its deepest slide was 43.1%, from January 2018 to March 2020. Its worst calendar year was 2018, with a loss of 11.87%. Someone drawing income may need other assets to lean on so they don't have to sell after a fall like that. The yield was 1.93% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Costs are 0.34% a year, or $431 over 10 years in the SEC's standard $10,000 example. Past results don't predict future ones, 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 US small-cap stocks to a large-cap core who want a rules-based tilt toward value, momentum and quality.
- Cost-conscious holders: its 0.34% yearly fee is below the 0.43% average of similar small-cap funds.
- People who want broad exposure: 302 stocks as of July 31, 2026, with no single holding above about 1.4%.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone focused on the lowest fee: SMLV charges 0.12% and JPSE 0.29%, compared with ROSC's 0.34%.
- Investors who can't stomach deep drops: ROSC fell 39.9% in early 2020 and 43.1% from its January 2018 peak.
- Those who prefer a large fund: net assets were about $61.5 million as of July 31, 2026, 7th in size of 9 similar funds.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROSC this fund | — | 0.34% | $61.5M | +24.4% | +19.9% |
| DES WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund | 30% | 0.38% | $2.19B | +19.0% | +17.1% |
| EES WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund | 28% | 0.38% | $724.3M | +19.4% | +19.9% |
| FLQS Franklin U.S. Small Cap Multifactor Index E… | 27% | 0.35% | $51.3M | +13.1% | +16.6% |
| FYT First Trust Small Cap Value AlphaDEX Fund | 26% | 0.72% | $194.5M | +27.4% | +18.4% |
| JPSE JPMorgan Diversified Return U.S. Small Cap … | 25% | 0.29% | $591.2M | +15.9% | +18.0% |
| FYX First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 25% | 0.61% | $1.37B | +25.4% | +24.3% |
| SQLV Royce Quant Small‑Cap Quality Value ETF | 24% | 0.6% | $28.7M | +26.7% | +18.1% |
Questions investors ask
Is ROSC a good ETF for retirement?
ROSC may suit retirement savers as a small-cap slice next to broader holdings, rather than as a whole portfolio. It holds about 300 smaller US companies and costs 0.34% a year. It yielded 1.93% as of October 27, 2026. But small caps swing hard. It fell 39.9% in the 2020 crash, and in 2022 it fell 21.1% and took about 15 months to recover. Drops like these matter for anyone who may need to sell shares in a bad year.
What is ROSC's expense ratio?
ROSC's expense ratio is 0.34% a year, with no fee waiver, according to the prospectus filed November 26, 2025. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested, a 5% yearly return and shares sold at the end of each period. On that basis, costs come to $35 after one year and $431 after 10 years. ROSC is the 3rd-cheapest of nine similar small-cap funds. The group averages 0.43%, while SMLV charges 0.12% and JPSE 0.29%.
ROSC vs FLQS: what's the difference?
Both are small-cap multifactor index ETFs, and their costs are almost identical: 0.34% for ROSC and 0.35% for FLQS. Only about 27% of their holdings overlap, so the portfolios differ a lot. As of October 27, 2026, ROSC returned 24.4% over one year and 19.9% a year over three years. FLQS returned 13.1% and 16.6%. Both funds are small. ROSC had about $61 million in net assets as of July 31, 2026, and FLQS about $51 million as of June 30, 2026.
How often does ROSC pay dividends?
ROSC pays dividends quarterly. In the twelve months through October 27, 2026, it paid about $1.07 per share, a trailing yield of 1.93%. The dividends come from the small companies it owns, so payouts can change from one quarter to the next. The fund is built for total return from small-cap stocks, not for income. Treat the yield as a side benefit, not the main goal.
How has ROSC performed over the long term?
ROSC returned 9.56% a year over five years and 8.34% a year since its 2015 launch, according to the prospectus, as of December 31, 2024. Based on its share price, it returned 10.7% a year over 10 years through October 27, 2026. Its strongest calendar year was 2021, at 30.96%, and its weakest was 2018, at a loss of 11.87%. Its worst quarter was a 32.73% drop in early 2020.