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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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IJR vs SAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IJR returned +17.5% to SAUG's +7.8%, and IJR charges 0.06% to SAUG's 0.90%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $104.6bn for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF and $128m for FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - August.

IJR on its own →SAUG on its own →
At a glance
+17.5%
IJR total return, 1 year
+7.8%
SAUG total return, 1 year
0.06%
IJR expense ratio
0.90%
SAUG expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IJR costs 0.84 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 9.7 points; IJR is far larger, $104.6bn against $128m.

IJR vs SAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIJRSAUG
Return
Total return, 1 year+17.5%+7.8%
Drawdown
Below its high6.8%, high on Aug 14, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksS&P SmallCap 600IWM
The outcome period
Room to the cap20.0%
Buffer left, in index points8.8% of 15.0%
Days left in the period296
Period endsAug 20, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.06%0.90%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$104.6bn$128m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund5.3%

Method

Side by side

IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF SAUG FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - August
Where it sits Stock ETF Buffer ETF
Issuer iShares First Trust
What it is Tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Defined outcome, 15% on IWM
Total return, 1 year +17.5% +7.8%
Its benchmark over the same days +17.6% (SPSM) +13.0% (IWM)
Gap to its benchmark −0.1 pts vs SPSM −5.2 pts vs IWM
Expense ratio 0.06% 0.90%
Holdings 642 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $104.6bn $128m

IJR and SAUG on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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About each fund
IJR

IJR tracks the S&P SmallCap 600. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +17.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.6% for its benchmark, the S&P SmallCap 600. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 642 positions, with the top ten at 5.3%. It sat 6.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

SAUG

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 20.0% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 8.8% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's IWM level. 296 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Aug 20, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Are IJR and SAUG in the same category?
IJR is a stock ETF and SAUG is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, IJR or SAUG?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IJR returned +17.5% and SAUG +7.8%.
Which is cheaper, IJR or SAUG?
IJR is cheaper, by 0.84 percentage points a year. That is about $84 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
IJR vs RBUFIJR vs KAPRIJR vs KJULIJR vs KAUGIWM vs SAUGSAUG vs VTWOIJR vs KJUNIJR vs KJAN
Where to next
iShares Russell 2000 ETF →IJR on its own →SAUG on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IJR dividend history →IJR holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IJR filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
IJR prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for IJR ↗
SAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for SAUG ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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ETFIQ, IJR against SAUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ijr-vs-saug

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