At a glance
USXF charges 0.1% a year, below the 0.17% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 4th cheapest of 9). It has $1.48B in assets, the 3rd largest of that group; it paid 0.85% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +14.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +27.7% a year. At its worst it fell 28.7% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 14 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 36.9% of the fund, out of 286 in all.
The short version
iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF (USXF) is a BlackRock index fund that tracks the MSCI USA Choice ESG Screened Index. The index holds large and mid-size US companies with strong ESG (environmental, social and governance) ratings, after it removes fossil fuels, weapons, tobacco and other industries. The fund charges 0.10% a year, below the 0.17% average of similar funds. Its screens leave it heavy in technology: NVIDIA alone was 12.35% of assets as of August 31, 2026.
Price history
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USXF +14.9% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USXF official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +26.15% | — | — | — | +17.23% |
| MSCIUSA Index index, same period | — | +25.08% | — | — | — | +16.57% |
| USXF price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +17.3% | +14.9% | +27.7% | +13.3% | — | +14.8% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, USXF returned +14.9%, 4th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +13.3%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-21.2%); its best was 2023 (+31.7%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 29.5% (Nov 16, 2021 to Oct 12, 2022), recovered by Dec 13, 2023.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +17.3% | — |
| 2025 | +17.0% | — |
| 2024 | +26.2% | +26.15% |
| 2023 | +31.7% | +31.60% |
| 2022 | -21.2% | -21.11% |
| 2021 | — | +27.11% |
| 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 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 28.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 28.7%, back to its old high 14 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.3900 | |
| 2025 | $0.5400 | +8.0% |
| 2024 | $0.5000 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $0.4800 | +14.3% |
| 2022 | $0.4200 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 286 securities; the ten largest made up 36.87% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA CORPORATION | 12.35% | |
| BROADCOM INC. | 6.58% | |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. | 4.27% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. | 3.03% | |
| VISA INC. | 2.52% | |
| MASTERCARD INCORPORATED | 1.91% | |
| CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. | 1.72% | |
| INTEL CORPORATION | 1.55% | |
| LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION | 1.49% | |
| APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. | 1.44% | |
| THE HOME DEPOT, INC. | 1.29% | |
| PALO ALTO NETWORKS, INC. | 1.22% | |
| ORACLE CORPORATION | 1.02% | |
| GE VERNOVA INC. | 0.96% | |
| TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED | 0.94% |
By country
United States 94.12%Ireland 4.04%Switzerland 0.65%Netherlands 0.26%Cayman Islands 0.21%By asset type
Stocks 99.86%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 82.7% 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 Aug 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $24.4M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +2.71%, -4.91%, +2.98%.
How it works
MSCI starts with the MSCI USA Index, which covers large and mid-size US companies. It keeps only companies rated BBB or higher on a scale from CCC (lowest) to AAA (highest). The ratings compare each company with its sector peers on key issues such as carbon emissions. MSCI then removes the entire energy sector and other companies tied to fossil fuels. It also removes companies involved in adult entertainment, alcohol, gambling, tobacco, genetic engineering, weapons, civilian firearms, palm oil, private prisons, predatory lending and nuclear power. Companies with very serious controversies are dropped too.
The stocks that remain are weighted by free float-adjusted market value. That means larger companies get bigger weights, counting only shares available to the public. The index is reviewed every quarter. BlackRock does not try to beat the index, and it does not move into cash when markets fall.
The fund uses representative sampling: it holds a group of stocks that resembles the index instead of owning every one. It generally keeps at least 90% of its assets in index stocks, and it held 286 companies as of August 31, 2026. Portfolio turnover was 9%, according to the prospectus. The fund may also lend out securities worth up to one-third of its assets, which earns a little extra income for the fund.
What it really costs
- USXF charges 0.1% a year, versus an average of 0.17% for the similar funds below (4th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $10 in the first year and $128 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USXF | $10 | $32 | $56 | $128 |
In a retirement portfolio
It holds 286 large and mid-size US stocks for 0.10% a year, though its 46.6% technology weighting makes it swing more than the broad market.
USXF could serve as the US stock core for an investor who wants ESG screens. The fund launched in 2020, so it has no record from 2008, and its price history starts in 2021, after the COVID crash. In the 2022 bear market it fell 28.7%, and it lost 21.11% for the calendar year. Its deepest drop was 29.5%, from November 2021 to October 2022. It took 14 months from that low to recover, in December 2023. Someone selling shares for income during that stretch would have sold at low prices. The yield was 0.85% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly, so the fund provides little income. Costs are low: $128 over 10 years in the SEC's standard $10,000 example. 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 who want US large- and mid-cap stocks without energy, weapons, tobacco or gambling companies, at a 0.10% expense ratio.
- Long-term holders comfortable with a tilt toward chipmakers: NVIDIA, Broadcom, Micron and AMD were the four largest holdings as of August 31, 2026.
- Those who want a low-turnover index fund from BlackRock, with 9% turnover and holdings spread across 286 companies.
Look elsewhere if
- Income seekers: the trailing yield was 0.85% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Those who want a broad market mix: technology was 46.6% of assets, and a one-year beta of 1.38 means it moved more than the market.
- Investors who want energy stocks: the index excludes the entire energy sector and most companies tied to oil, gas or thermal coal.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USXF this fund | — | 0.1% | $1.48B | +14.9% | +27.7% |
| DSI iShares ESG MSCI KLD 400 ETF | 53% | 0.25% | $5.32B | +14.5% | +25.0% |
| SUSL iShares ESG MSCI USA Leaders ETF | 50% | 0.1% | $1.22B | +14.8% | +25.3% |
| USSG Xtrackers MSCI USA Selection Equity ETF | 50% | 0.09% | $590.8M | +14.7% | +25.2% |
| IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 47% | 0.19% | $128.90B | -3.7% | +20.3% |
| IQSU IQ Candriam ESG U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF | 46% | 0.09% | $327.5M | +15.9% | +22.0% |
| USNZ Xtrackers Net Zero Pathway Paris Aligned US… | 46% | 0.1% | $299.4M | +12.8% | +24.4% |
| SFY SoFi Select 500 ETF | 46% | 0.05% | $692.7M | +15.3% | +29.3% |
Questions investors ask
Is USXF good for retirement?
It can work as a low-cost US stock holding for retirement savers who want ESG screens, but it is not an income fund, and it has been more volatile than the broad market. It charges 0.10% a year and yielded 0.85% as of October 27, 2026. It lost 21.11% in 2022. Its deepest drop, 29.5%, took 14 months from the low to recover. It has no track record from 2008 or the 2020 crash.
What's the difference between USXF and DSI?
Both are iShares ESG funds of US stocks, and about 53% of their holdings overlapped in the latest N-PORT reports. The clearest difference is cost: USXF charges 0.10% a year, compared with 0.25% for DSI. As of October 27, 2026, USXF returned 27.7% a year over three years, compared with 25.0% for DSI. DSI is larger, with $5.32 billion in net assets as of July 31, 2026, compared with $1.48 billion for USXF as of August 31, 2026.
Does USXF pay dividends?
Yes, USXF pays dividends every quarter. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $0.57 per share, a yield of 0.85%. The yield is low because the fund leans heavily toward technology companies, which as a group tend to reinvest more of their profits than they pay out. Investors who need steady income from their stock holdings may find this fund adds little.
Does USXF hold oil and gas stocks?
No. The index excludes the entire energy sector, plus companies tied to fossil fuels through thermal coal, oil and gas reserves, related revenue or power generation. A company that earns more than 50% of its revenue from alternative energy can be added back if it has no ties to thermal coal, oil sands or fossil fuel reserves used for energy. The index also screens out weapons, tobacco, alcohol, gambling and nuclear power.
Why is NVIDIA such a big part of USXF?
The index weights companies by market value, so the largest companies that pass the ESG screens get the biggest weights. As of August 31, 2026, NVIDIA was 12.35% of assets, Broadcom 6.58% and Micron 4.27%. The top 10 holdings made up 36.87% of the fund, and technology made up 46.6%. That means a handful of technology stocks drive much of the fund's returns, in both directions.