iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (IWM) Stock Dividend Data

Amount	Ex-Dividend Date	Record Date	Pay Date	Declare Date	Qualified? [?]	Type
$0.264	3/25/2013	3/27/2013	4/1/2013	3/22/2013	Unknown	Regular
$0.726609	12/19/2012	12/21/2012	12/26/2012	12/18/2012	Unknown	Regular
$0.331634	9/24/2012	9/26/2012	9/28/2012	9/21/2012	Unknown	Regular
$0.377165	6/26/2012	6/28/2012	7/2/2012	6/25/2012	Unknown	Regular

ETFdb Profile: The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe and is comprised of the smallest 2000 companies in the Russell 3000 Index, representing approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of that Index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership.

ETFdb Analyst take: This ETF is one of several offering exposure to the Russell 2000 Index, a widely followed measure of small cap U.S. stocks. Given this investment objective, IWM may be useful in a number of different ways; more active investors may use this fund as a way to establish short-term exposure to a risky asset class when risk tolerance is expected to climb, while IWM can also be appealing as a way of accessing an asset class that should be included in any long-term, buy-and-hold portfolio.

IWM has appeal as a portfolio "building block" thanks to the balanced nature of the underlying portfolio and the relative cost efficiency offered. Every sector of the U.S. economy is well represented in the underlying portfolio, and no one stock accounts for a significant portion of assets. Moreover, IWM is relatively cheap, and the ability to trade commission free on Fidelity platforms may enhance the value proposition. However, it should be noted that Vanguard's VTWO is linked to the exact same index (the Russell 2000), but charges a significantly lower expense ratio. For investors concerned about minimizing costs, that Vanguard fund may be a better choice.

Profile and Analyst Take courtesy of ETFdb.com.