IWC vs KXI Fund Comparison

A comparison between IWC and KXI based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on IWC vs KXI

Here's an in depth look at the differences between iShares Micro-Cap ETF($IWC) and iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF($KXI).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

  • iwc
  • ETF
  • US Stocks
  • Small Blend

iShares Micro-Cap ETF

Expenses: 0.60% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Small Blend US Stocks fund. See why »

  • kxi
  • ETF
  • Sector Equity
  • Consumer Defensive

iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF

Expenses: 0.46% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Consumer Defensive Sector Equity fund. See why »

Both $IWC and $KXI are categorized as ETFs. ETFs have an added bonus over mutual funds of being more widely available. Mutual funds are often limited to only the issuing investment brokerage. Since these are both ETFs, you may be able to find these at a wider number of investment apps and websites.

The biggest disadvantage of ETFs is that some platforms only allow you to purchase ETFs in whole shares. So if an ETF is going for $75, you may need to invest in increments of $75. Most 401(k)'s allow for investing down to the penny, but you'll want to verify your platform allows for "fractional ETF Shares".

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

IWCKXI
Market Score 7.4 /10 8.3 /10
Category Score 5.0 /10 0.0 /10
Total12.48.3

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

For each fund we've created a "diversification score" – a metric to indicate how closely each funds asset allocation matches it's benchmark. For example, an S&P 500 fund would have a diversification score of 10 if it's fully in line with the actual S&P 500.

The diversification score for IWC is 1.6/10, while KXI has a diversification score of 8.9/10.

In other words, KXI more closely matches it's benchmark.

Winner: $IWC

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, IWC has an expense ratio of 0.60% while KXI has an expense ratio of 0.46%. In this case, both of these funds have a similar fee.

Winner: $KXI (barely)

Fund Size Comparison

One place these two funds differ is in their total assets under management. This is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

In the case of these two funds, IWC is a medium fund with 686 Million in assets under management. KXI, on the other hand, is a large fund with 664 Million in assets under management.

Winner: $KXI, iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF

Which Should You Choose? IWC or KXI?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. IWC is a US StocksSmall Blend fund, while KXI is a Sector EquityConsumer Defensive fund.

If you're aiming to build a diversified, low-fee, tax-optimized portfolio you likely won't be choosing between these two funds since they're different enough.

Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives IWC a score of 54 and KXI a score of 64.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$IWC

iShares Micro-Cap ETF

54

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Diversification Score2/10
Expense Ratio Score8/10
Expense Rating4/10
Market Score7/10
Category Score5/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeETF
Inception DateAug-12-2005
ExchangeNYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio0.600%
Net Assets686 Million
Yield1.47%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketUS Stocks
CategorySmall Blend
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 1.80%
  • Communication Services 3.73%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 7.74%
  • Consumer Defensive 2.18%
  • Energy 3.13%
  • Financial Services 18.28%
  • Healthcare 33.17%
  • Industrials 11.37%
  • Real Estate 4.87%
  • Technology 12.34%
  • Utilities 1.39%
Regions
  • Africa/Middle East 0.08%
  • Asia Developed 0.09%
  • Asia Emerging 0.03%
  • Europe Developed 0.19%
  • Europe Emerging 0.11%
  • Latin America 0.26%
  • North America 99.03%
  • United Kingdom 0.20%

$KXI

iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF

64

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Diversification Score9/10
Expense Ratio Score6/10
Expense Rating5/10
Market Score8/10
Category Score0/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeETF
Inception DateSep-12-2006
ExchangeNYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio0.460%
Net Assets664 Million
Yield2.32%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketSector Equity
CategoryConsumer Defensive
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 0.00%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 0.69%
  • Consumer Defensive 98.36%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 0.96%
  • Industrials 0.00%
  • Real Estate 0.00%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 0.00%
Regions
  • Asia Developed 0.42%
  • Australasia 1.93%
  • Europe Developed 23.97%
  • Japan 7.75%
  • Latin America 1.32%
  • North America 52.50%
  • United Kingdom 12.10%

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