iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA): 2,625 Developed-Market Stocks and a Fresh Gold Rating

Sonal Goyal

27 October 2026 12:07 AM AEDT

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA): 2,625 Developed-Market Stocks and a Fresh Gold Rating

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Key Highlights

IEFA had net Assets of $188.16 billion as of 23 October 2026, and the fund's expense ratio is 0.07%.
The fund holds 2,625 securities and tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI index (Net).
The most recent distribution was $1.578060 per share, paid on 18 June 2026.

The iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (BATS:IEFA) is a core international developed-market fund with the largest asset base among the international funds in the group. On 23 October 2026 the fund had a NAV of $95.56 and a closing price of $95.68, and net assets stood at $188.16 billion. The NAV moved by -$0.48 (-0.50%) on the day.

The fund seeks to track an index of large-, mid- and small-cap equities from developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada. It is listed on Cboe BZX, has traded since 18 October 2012 and pays distributions semi-annual. This article sets out its structure, portfolio, costs and risk characteristics.

Fund Snapshot

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF reported a NAV of $95.56 and a closing price of $95.68 on 23 October 2026, a premium of 0.12%. There were 1,969,000,000 shares outstanding, and the 30-day median bid/ask spread was 0.01%. Daily Volume was 7,491,665 shares, compared with a 30-day average of 10,439,955. The non-fair-value NAV was $95.70.

Index and Objective

The fund tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net) and is passively managed against it. Its stated aim is to track an index of large-, mid- and small-cap equities from developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada. The portfolio held 2,625 securities as of 23 October 2026. The fund may use exchange-traded Index Futures to offset cash and receivables while tracking its benchmark.

Top Holdings

The ten largest positions in the portfolio were ASML Holding (2.47%), Roche (1.34%), Shell (1.26%), HSBC Holdings (1.25%), Novartis (1.15%), Nestlé (1.06%), AstraZeneca (1.05%), SAP (0.98%), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (0.91%), Siemens (0.84%). Together they represent 12.31% of the fund.

Broader EAFE Coverage

IEFA follows the MSCI EAFE IMI Index, which adds small-cap companies to the large- and mid-cap coverage of the standard EAFE benchmark, and this explains why it holds 2,625 securities compared with 656 for the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA). Net assets of $188 billion make it the largest of the international developed-market funds in this series, and its 0.07% expense ratio compares with 0.32% for EFA. Morningstar awarded the fund a Gold medal effective 21 October 2026.

Costs and Distributions

The total expense ratio stated in the prospectus is 0.07%. The fund's most recent distribution had a record and ex-date of 15 June 2026, was payable on 18 June 2026 and totalled $1.578060 per share, all from income. The prior distribution was $1.710585 per share, with a date of 16 December 2025.

Valuation and Risk Characteristics

As of 23 October 2026 the fund's portfolio had a P/E ratio of 18.42 and a P/B ratio of 2.17. As of 30 September 2026 its Equity Beta was 0.66 and its three-year Standard Deviation 12.56%. These figures describe the portfolio's valuation and sensitivity to market movements and are not forecasts. The fund notes that international investing involves risks related to foreign currency, limited liquidity, less government regulation and the possibility of substantial Volatility from adverse political, economic or other developments.

Morningstar Ratings

Morningstar gave the fund an overall rating of 3 stars, rated against 640 Foreign Large Blend funds as of 30 September 2026, and a Gold Medalist Rating effective 21 October 2026.

Wrapping Up

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) reported 2,625 holdings, $188.16 billion in net assets and a 0.07% expense ratio as of 23 October 2026.

FAQs

Q: What does iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) track?

A: It tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net).

Q: What is the expense ratio of IEFA?

A: 0.07%.

Q: How many holdings does IEFA have?

A: 2,625 holdings as of 23 October 2026.

Q: How often does IEFA pay distributions?

A: Semi-annual. The latest was $1.578060 per share, payable 18 June 2026.

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