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IEMS
+6.52 · +6.49%
£106.88 · LSE
iShares MSCI EM Small Cap UCITS ETF USD (Dist) | Global Emerging Markets Small/Mid-Cap Equity
BlackRock Asset Management Ireland - ETF · UK
AUM:$473.5M
#– of – in Global Emerging Markets Small/Mid-Cap Equity ETFs
ℹ️
Reward Rating
68
Good
34.94% 1Y return
ℹ️
Risk Rating
42
Moderate
Risk Assessment
ℹ️

Educational tool only – Scores are based on historical data, holdings and expense metrics for informational purposes. This is not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser.

Market Performance

📈 Up 34.9% over the past year, reflecting strong price momentum.

Cost Efficiency

Ongoing charge of 0.74% — moderate cost. Consider how fees compound over long holding periods.

What is IEMS?

iShares MSCI EM Small Cap UCITS ETF USD (Dist) tracks Morningstar EM SMID TME NR USD, providing diversified exposure across 43 holdings. Its ongoing charge is 0.74%.

Performance Highlights

Investment Breakdown

Strong Recent Performance
IEMS delivered 34.9% over the past year. Historical returns only — past performance is not indicative of future results.
Moderate Cost
Ongoing charge of 0.74%. Consider how fees compound over a long holding period.
Broadly Diversified
Top 10 holdings represent just 4.8% of the ETF — exposure spread across many positions.

Openbook Analysis

Performance: Good (68)

The scoring profile reflects moderate historical performance, with a 34.9% 1-year return (historical). The ongoing charge of 0.74% should be considered against long-term return expectations. Risk indicators are moderate, in line with typical market exposure (historical).

For informational and educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

ETF Information
AUM$473.5M
Ongoing Charge0.74%
Dividend Yield1.72%
Holdings43
Inception DateMar 2009
Domicile–
Distribution–
IndexMorningstar EM SMID TME NR USD
ProviderBlackRock Asset Management Ireland - ETF
Beta0.97
CategoryGlobal Emerging Markets Small/Mid-Cap Equity
CurrencyUSD
Portfolio Impact

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6168
+7 points · better diversified
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Uses ISF.L (iShares FTSE 100 ETF)
Indicators

Performance Metrics

Historical returns

6M
+16.4%
1Y
+29.7%
3Y
+64.3%
5Y
+42.6%
OpenBook InsightIf you had invested £10,000 in IEMS 5 years ago, it would have grown to £14,256 — a gain of £4,256.

Annual Returns

Calendar year performance

IEMS delivered positive returns in 4 of the last 5 calendar years.
YearIEMS
2026 YTD+14.6%
2025+18.8%
2024+3.2%
2023+23.4%
2022-18.5%
CAGR 4yr+5.4%
4/5 positive yearsAvg return: +8.3%Worst year: -18.5% (2022)

Technical Analysis Summary

Automated insights from historical price action and indicators

Technical Regime: POSITIVE
Trend Strength
100%
Positive
Volatility
24.7%
Moderate
Momentum
+4.2%
30-day change
Support Level
112.00
Key floor
Key Insights
  • Price is currently trading above all key moving averages.
  • Monitor key support and resistance levels as part of broader risk assessment.

Reward Rating Breakdown

Our reward rating analyses IEMS's attractiveness using 4 weighted factors. Each factor is scored 0-100, then combined using the weights shown below. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Overall Reward Rating
68
Good REWARD
Data Coverage: %
Factor Framework
Performance
Has the ETF delivered strong historical returns versus similar ETFs?
Cost Efficiency
Is the ETF cheap to own over long periods?
Income
Does it provide attractive and consistent distributions?
Diversification Quality
Does it spread exposure across holdings, sectors, and regions?

📈 Performance

Weight: 30%
73/100

Has the ETF delivered strong historical returns versus similar ETFs? Combines 1/3/5/10-year returns with the Sharpe ratio (risk-adjusted return).

1Y Return
34.94%
Very Good
3Y Return
16.37%
Very Good
5Y Return
8.07%
Good
10Y Return
9.25%
Good
Sharpe Ratio
—
No Data

Strong historical performance profile: 1-year return of 34.94%, 3-year annualised 16.37%, 5-year annualised 8.07%. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

💰 Cost Efficiency

Weight: 30%
73/100

Is the ETF cheap to own over long periods? Low ongoing charges compound into meaningful additional returns over a 10-year horizon.

Ongoing Charge
0.74%
Very Weak
Net Expense Ratio
0.01%
Very Good
Annual Turnover
0.94%
Very Good
Tracking Difference
—
No Data

Low-cost and efficient structure: ongoing charge of 0.74%, net expense ratio of 0.01%, annual turnover of 0.9%.

💵 Income

Weight: 15%
50/100

Does the ETF provide attractive and consistent distributions? Combines the current yield with distribution frequency.

Distribution Yield
1.72%
Weak
Distribution Frequency
—
No Data

Modest income profile: distribution yield of 1.72%.

🌐 Diversification Quality

Weight: 25%
68/100

Does the ETF spread exposure across many holdings, sectors, and regions? Concentrated funds can be doing exactly what they're meant to do — treat the score as context, not a verdict.

Holdings
43
Very Weak
Top 10 Concentration
4.80%
Very Good
Top Sector
Technology20.1%
Good
Top Region
Asia Emerging39.4%
Very Good

Moderate diversification: 43 holdings, top 10 at 4.8%, Technology sector at 20.1%, Asia Emerging at 39.4%.

Scores are derived from fund-provider disclosures and historical data. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Risk Rating Breakdown

Our risk rating analyses IEMS using 4 weighted factors. A higher score indicates higher risk. This is a framework for understanding exposure — concentrated funds can still be doing exactly what they're meant to do.

Overall Risk Rating
42
Moderate RISK
Data Coverage: 92%
Factor Framework
Holdings Concentration
How much of the fund sits in its largest positions? Few dominant names mean returns ride on those companies.
Market Exposure
Geographic, sector and cyclical dependencies. High single-country or single-sector weight increases macro sensitivity.
Volatility
Historical price movement, beta and drawdowns — how sharply the fund moves relative to the market.
Income Reliability
How dependable the distribution yield is — cyclical-sector dependency and unusually high yields can flag payout risk.

🎯 Holdings Concentration

Weight: 25%
26/100

How much of the fund sits in a small number of positions? If the top holdings dominate, returns will be driven by those specific companies rather than the broader index.

Top 10 Weight
4.80%
Low Risk
Largest Holding
0.71%
Low Risk
Number of Holdings
43
Elevated
HHI (weight²)
2
Low Risk

Broadly diversified across holdings: top 10 holdings at 4.8%, largest single position at 0.71%, 43 total holdings.

🌍 Market Exposure

Weight: 25%
51/100

How dependent is the fund on a single country, sector or economic cycle? Heavy exposure to one market means a single macro event can drive most of the return.

Top Region
Asia Emerging39.4%
Lower Risk
Top Sector
Technology20.1%
Lower Risk
Top 2 Sectors
37.65%
Lower Risk
Cyclical Sectors
47.39%
Elevated

Notable regional or sector dependency: Asia Emerging at 39.4%, Technology sector at 20.1%, 47.4% in cyclical sectors.

📊 Volatility

Weight: 35%
45/100

How sharply does the fund move day-to-day and how deep have its drawdowns been? High volatility means wider return outcomes over short horizons.

1Y Volatility
9.91%
Lower Risk
Beta
0.97
Lower Risk
Max Drawdown
—
No Data

Moderate volatility in line with broad market: 1Y volatility of 9.91%, beta of 0.97 (historical).

💵 Income Reliability

Weight: 15%
49/100

How dependable is the fund's distribution yield? Heavy cyclical-sector exposure or unusually high yields can flag vulnerability to dividend cuts in a downturn.

Current Yield
1.72%
Lower Risk
Cyclical Sector Exposure
47.39%
Elevated
Top-Sector Dependency
Technology20.1%
Lower Risk

Income profile is reasonably diversified: yield of 1.72%, 47.4% in cyclical sectors (financials, energy, materials, industrials, real estate), Technology sector at 20.1%.

Scores are derived from fund-provider disclosures and historical data. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Risk scoring is model-based and past data does not guarantee future results.
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