Measuring the Value Premium with Value and Growth ETFs

Do popular style-based exchange-traded funds (ETF) offer a reliable way to exploit the value premium? To investigate, we compare differences in returns (value-minus-growth, or V – G) for each of the following three matched pairs of value-growth ETFs:

• iShares Russell 2000 (Smallcap) Growth Index (IWO)
• iShares Russell 2000 (Smallcap) Value Index (IWN)
• iShares Russell Midcap Growth Index (IWP)
• iShares Russell Midcap Value Index (IWS)
• iShares Russell 1000 (Largecap) Growth Index (IWF)
• iShares Russell 1000 (Largecap) Value Index (IWD)

To aggregate, we define monthly value return as the equally weighted average monthly return of IWN, IWS and IWD and monthly growth return as the equally weighted average monthly return of IWO, IWP and IWF. Using monthly dividend-adjusted closing prices for these ETFs during August 2001 (limited by IWP and IWS) through March 2024, we find that: (more…)