Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
USMV vs VBR: how they differ
USMV and VBR hold 2% of their weight in the same names, and VBR returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, USMV and VBR hold 2% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | USMV | VBR |
|---|---|---|
| F5, INC. | 0.63% | 0.50% |
| EXPAND ENERGY CORPORATION | 0.41% | 0.47% |
| FIRST CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. | 0.32% | 0.33% |
| UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION | 0.21% | 0.25% |
| GEN DIGITAL INC. | 0.20% | 0.29% |
| GENERAL MILLS, INC. | 0.15% | 0.20% |
| ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION | 0.07% | 0.62% |
| CDW CORPORATION | 0.06% | 0.39% |
| ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION | 0.05% | 0.21% |
| Only in USMV | Only in VBR |
|---|---|
| CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. 1.81% | Jabil Inc 0.87% |
| NVIDIA CORPORATION 1.64% | NRG Energy Inc 0.66% |
| EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION 1.60% | Tapestry Inc 0.64% |
| MICROSOFT CORPORATION 1.56% | Williams-Sonoma Inc 0.59% |
| DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION 1.55% | Moderna Inc 0.54% |
| THE SOUTHERN COMPANY 1.53% | Smurfit Westrock PLC 0.52% |
| AMPHENOL CORPORATION 1.51% | US Foods Holding Corp 0.48% |
| Chubb Limited 1.50% | JB Hunt Transport Services Inc 0.47% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and Jun 30, 2026.
| USMV iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | MSCI USA Min Vol Factor | Small-Cap Value |
| Total return, 1 year | +6.6% | +16.3% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −10.9 pts | −1.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.15% | 0.05% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 94.8% | 30.5% |
| Holdings | 170 | 840 |
USMV in plain words
USMV is an index equity fund tracking the MSCI USA Min Vol Factor. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +6.6% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 95% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 170 positions, with the top ten at 15.7%.
VBR in plain words
VBR is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 840 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, USMV or VBR?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, USMV returned +6.6% and VBR returned +16.3%, so VBR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, USMV or VBR?
- USMV charges 0.15% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do USMV and VBR overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 95% of USMV and 30% of VBR by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 2% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, USMV against VBR, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/USMV-VBR Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources