The iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) was launched on 12/01/2016, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Style Box - All Cap Growth category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.

A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns.

But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.

Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.

Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.

Fund Sponsor & Index

ESGU is managed by Blackrock, and this fund has amassed over $13.52 billion, which makes it one of the largest ETFs in the Style Box - All Cap Growth. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA ESG Focus Index.

The MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index comprises of U.S. companies that have positive environmental, social and governance characteristics while exhibiting risk and return characteristics similar to those of the parent index.

Cost & Other Expenses

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor. And, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.15% for ESGU, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.

The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.15%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

Representing 32.20% of the portfolio, the fund has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector; Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.