- ISIN
- US4642874659
- CUSIP
- 464287465
- Issuer
- iShares
- Inception Date
- Aug 14, 2001
- Region
- Developed Markets (EAFE)
- Category
- Foreign Large Cap Equities
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- MSCI EAFE Index (Net)
- Domicile
- United States
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Equity
- Asset Class Size
- Large-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Blend
- Assets Under Management
- $78B
Share Price Chart
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Performance
EFA Performance Chart
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is up 10.6% since the beginning of the year. EFA is currently trading at $105 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of EFA shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,549.
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Returns By Period
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) has returned 10.63% so far this year and 25.29% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, EFA has returned 10.10% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.88% annually.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 2.17%
- YTD
- 10.63%
- 6M
- 11.01%
- 1Y
- 25.29%
- 3Y*
- 17.43%
- 5Y*
- 9.14%
- 10Y*
- 10.10%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 8.64%
- 1Y
- 25.22%
- 3Y*
- 19.78%
- 5Y*
- 11.99%
- 10Y*
- 13.88%
EFA Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Aug 17, 2001, EFA's average daily return is +0.03%, while the average monthly return is +0.65%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 8.9 years.
Historically, 61% of months were positive and 39% were negative. The best month was Nov 2020 with a return of +14.3%, while the worst month was Oct 2008 at -20.8%. The longest winning streak lasted 12 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 6 months.
On a daily basis, EFA closed higher 53% of trading days. The best single day was Oct 13, 2008 with a return of +15.9%, while the worst single day was Sep 29, 2008 at -11.2%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.90% | 4.61% | -7.83% | 5.34% | 2.42% | 1.37% | 10.63% | ||||||
| 2025 | 4.80% | 2.95% | 0.18% | 3.70% | 4.79% | 2.40% | -2.09% | 4.52% | 2.07% | 1.20% | 0.74% | 2.71% | 31.55% |
| 2024 | -0.45% | 2.99% | 3.38% | -3.24% | 5.06% | -1.83% | 2.59% | 3.26% | 0.78% | -5.27% | -0.32% | -2.95% | 3.49% |
| 2023 | 9.00% | -3.07% | 3.13% | 2.94% | -4.01% | 4.47% | 2.70% | -3.93% | -3.65% | -2.90% | 8.22% | 5.35% | 18.36% |
| 2022 | -3.63% | -3.43% | 0.52% | -6.74% | 2.00% | -8.77% | 5.17% | -6.12% | -9.22% | 5.89% | 13.17% | -1.81% | -14.39% |
| 2021 | -0.78% | 2.24% | 2.51% | 2.95% | 3.48% | -1.08% | 0.77% | 1.45% | -3.26% | 3.18% | -4.53% | 4.39% | 11.45% |
Benchmark Metrics
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has an annualized alpha of -0.20%, beta of 0.95, and R2 of 0.75 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since August 17, 2001.
- This ETF participated in 97.75% of S&P 500 Index downside but only 92.46% of its upside - more exposed to losses than it benefited from rallies.
- With beta of 0.95 and R2 of 0.75, this ETF moves broadly in line with S&P 500 Index - much of its variation is explained by market exposure rather than independent behavior.
- Alpha
- -0.20%
- Beta
- 0.95
- R²
- 0.75
- Upside Capture
- 92.46%
- Downside Capture
- 97.75%
Expense Ratio
EFA has an expense ratio of 0.32%, placing it in the medium range.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
EFA ranks 48 for risk / return — on par with similar ETFs. You're getting a typical balance of risk and reward. Not a standout, but not a red flag either — a reasonable choice if other factors align with your goals.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| EFA | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.39 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.42 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.37 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.22 | 2.78 | -0.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.31 | 12.44 | -4.13 |
Dividends
Dividend History
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF provided a 3.22% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $3.36 per share. The fund has been increasing its distributions for 3 consecutive years.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $3.36 | $3.25 | $2.45 | $2.24 | $1.77 | $2.62 | $1.55 | $2.15 | $1.99 | $1.80 | $1.77 | $1.62 |
Dividend yield | 3.22% | 3.38% | 3.24% | 2.98% | 2.69% | 3.33% | 2.13% | 3.10% | 3.39% | 2.57% | 3.07% | 2.76% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.64 | $1.64 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.52 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.73 | $3.25 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.39 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.06 | $2.45 |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.31 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.93 | $2.24 |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.50 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.27 | $1.77 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.10 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.52 | $2.62 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF was 61.04%, occurring on Mar 9, 2009. Recovery took 1321 trading sessions.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Financial crisis2007–2009 | -61.04%Mar 2009 | 1y 4mo | 5y 3mo | 6y 7moNov 2007 - Jun 2014 |
COVID crash2020 | -34.19%Mar 2020 | 2y 1mo | 7mo 28d | 2y 9moJan 2018 - Nov 2020 |
2003 bear market2003 | -31.40%Mar 2003 | 1y 6mo | 7mo 6d | 2y 1moAug 2001 - Oct 2003 |
Bear market2022 | -29.53%Sep 2022 | 1y 19d | 1y 4mo | 2y 5moSep 2021 - Feb 2024 |
2016 bear market2016 | -22.97%Feb 2016 | 8mo 25d | 1y 2mo | 1y 11moMay 2015 - May 2017 |
Drawdown Indicators
| EFA | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.04% | -56.78% | -4.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.42% | -9.10% | -2.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.05% | -18.90% | +4.85% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.53% | -25.43% | -4.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.19% | -33.92% | -0.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.80% | +1.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.91% | -10.71% | -1.20% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.05% | 2.03% | +1.02% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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