- Issuer
- iShares
- Inception Date
- Sep 26, 2023
- Category
- Rare Earth & Strategic Metals, Metals
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- ICE Strategic Re-Industrialization Metals Index
- Domicile
- United States
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Commodity
- Assets Under Management
- $29M
Share Price Chart
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Performance
ISTM Performance Chart
iShares Strategic Metals ETF (ISTM) is up 2.4% since the beginning of the year. ISTM is currently trading at $29 per share.
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Returns By Period
iShares Strategic Metals ETF (ISTM) has returned 2.43% so far this year and 30.58% over the past 12 months.
iShares Strategic Metals ETF
- 1D
- -0.34%
- 1M
- -3.14%
- 6M
- -4.52%
- YTD
- 2.43%
- 1Y
- 30.58%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- 0.42%
- 1M
- 4.24%
- 6M
- 8.74%
- YTD
- 10.66%
- 1Y
- 20.62%
- 3Y*
- 19.50%
- 5Y*
- 11.63%
- 10Y*
- 13.41%
ISTM Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Sep 28, 2023, ISTM's average daily return is +0.09%, while the average monthly return is +1.73%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 3.4 years.
Historically, 66% of months were positive and 34% were negative. The best month was Dec 2025 with a return of +12.2%, while the worst month was Jun 2026 at -11.4%. The longest winning streak lasted 7 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 3 months.
On a daily basis, ISTM closed higher 54% of trading days. The best single day was Dec 26, 2025 with a return of +5.0%, while the worst single day was Jan 30, 2026 at -13.1%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10.46% | 3.88% | -7.54% | 3.02% | 4.30% | -11.44% | 1.45% | 2.43% | |||||
| 2025 | 4.68% | 1.38% | 6.56% | -7.65% | 2.55% | 7.59% | -3.63% | 4.27% | 7.77% | 4.85% | 4.93% | 12.21% | 54.07% |
| 2024 | -2.99% | -0.84% | 4.12% | 10.98% | 5.59% | -5.68% | -4.20% | 1.92% | 7.06% | -0.71% | -3.65% | -3.41% | 6.95% |
| 2023 | 0.67% | -2.37% | 2.29% | 2.15% | 2.69% |
Benchmark Metrics
iShares Strategic Metals ETF has an annualized alpha of 12.17%, beta of 0.52, and R2 of 0.11 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since September 28, 2023.
- This ETF participates in less of S&P 500 Index's moves in both directions, but captures a larger share of gains (63.28%) than losses (4.67%) - typical of diversified or defensive assets.
- Beta of 0.52 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.11 this ETF is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this ETF's risk.
- R2 of 0.11 means this ETF moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 12.17%
- Beta
- 0.52
- R²
- 0.11
- Upside Capture
- 63.28%
- Downside Capture
- 4.67%
Expense Ratio
ISTM has an expense ratio of 0.49%, placing it in the medium range.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
ISTM ranks 32 for risk / return — below 32% of ETFs on our site. The returns aren't fully compensating for the risk involved. This isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but factor it into your decision — especially if you're risk-averse.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Strategic Metals ETF (ISTM) 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.
| ISTM | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.68 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.30 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.37 | 2.28 | -0.91 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.92 | 9.88 | -6.96 |
Dividends
Dividend History
iShares Strategic Metals ETF provided a 14.43% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $4.20 per share.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $4.20 | $4.20 | $6.34 | $0.26 |
Dividend yield | 14.43% | 14.78% | 29.62% | 1.02% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for iShares Strategic Metals 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 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $4.20 | $4.20 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $6.34 | $6.34 |
| 2023 | $0.26 | $0.26 |
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 Strategic Metals 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 Strategic Metals ETF was 22.47%, occurring on Jun 24, 2026. The portfolio has not yet recovered.
The current iShares Strategic Metals ETF drawdown is 19.46%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2026 bear market2026 | -22.47%Jun 2026 | 4mo 25d | — | 5mo 12dJan 2026 - now |
2024 correction2024 | -18.42%Aug 2024 | 2mo 17d | 10mo 23d | 1y 1moMay 2024 - Jun 2025 |
2025 correction2025 | -11.05%Jul 2025 | 6d | 2mo | 2mo 6dJul 2025 - Sep 2025 |
2024 pullback2024 | -7.72%Feb 2024 | 1mo 17d | 29d | 2mo 16dDec 2023 - Mar 2024 |
2023 pullback2023 | -4.92%Dec 2023 | 8d | 10d | 18dDec 2023 - Dec 2023 |
Drawdown Indicators
| ISTM | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.47% | -56.78% | +34.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -22.47% | -9.10% | -13.37% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -18.90% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -25.43% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.92% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.46% | -0.45% | -19.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.88% | -10.71% | +3.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.48% | 2.09% | +8.39% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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