- ISIN
- US4642865822
- CUSIP
- 464286582
- Issuer
- iShares
- Inception Date
- Dec 20, 2007
- Region
- Developed Asia Pacific (Japan)
- Category
- Japan Equities
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- MSCI Japan Small Cap Index
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Equity
- Asset Class Size
- Mid-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Blend
- Assets Under Management
- $234M
Share Price Chart
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Performance
SCJ Performance Chart
iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF (SCJ) is up 14.4% since the beginning of the year. SCJ is currently trading at $104 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of SCJ shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,440.
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Returns By Period
iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF (SCJ) has returned 14.43% so far this year and 29.99% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, SCJ has returned 7.94% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.71% annually.
iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF
- 1D
- -1.98%
- 1M
- 0.36%
- YTD
- 14.43%
- 6M
- 14.21%
- 1Y
- 29.99%
- 3Y*
- 18.07%
- 5Y*
- 7.56%
- 10Y*
- 7.94%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -1.44%
- 1M
- -1.45%
- YTD
- 7.60%
- 6M
- 6.59%
- 1Y
- 22.24%
- 3Y*
- 19.20%
- 5Y*
- 11.54%
- 10Y*
- 13.71%
SCJ Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Dec 27, 2007, SCJ's average daily return is +0.03%, while the average monthly return is +0.58%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 10.0 years.
Historically, 61% of months were positive and 39% were negative. The best month was Sep 2013 with a return of +12.6%, while the worst month was Feb 2009 at -13.9%. The longest winning streak lasted 14 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 5 months.
On a daily basis, SCJ closed higher 52% of trading days. The best single day was Oct 13, 2008 with a return of +15.4%, while the worst single day was Mar 12, 2020 at -11.1%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5.63% | 10.26% | -9.21% | 3.97% | 4.93% | -0.81% | 14.43% | ||||||
| 2025 | 1.78% | 0.79% | 2.25% | 4.22% | 3.45% | 3.71% | 0.11% | 6.58% | 1.62% | -1.54% | 2.91% | 0.57% | 29.58% |
| 2024 | -0.79% | 2.04% | 2.85% | -4.43% | 1.37% | -1.29% | 6.96% | 1.36% | 2.55% | -6.26% | 2.38% | -2.65% | 3.41% |
| 2023 | 4.94% | -3.65% | 3.96% | 0.64% | -2.16% | 2.48% | 3.87% | -0.99% | -3.36% | -1.99% | 4.43% | 4.94% | 13.22% |
| 2022 | -4.71% | 1.84% | -5.52% | -7.19% | 1.17% | -4.50% | 5.65% | -3.67% | -6.13% | -0.56% | 10.87% | 0.75% | -12.75% |
| 2021 | -0.65% | 0.77% | 3.08% | -1.45% | -0.35% | 0.50% | 0.09% | 1.77% | 1.11% | -2.93% | -6.64% | 2.10% | -2.95% |
Benchmark Metrics
iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF has an annualized alpha of 0.57%, beta of 0.67, and R2 of 0.45 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since December 27, 2007.
- This ETF participated in 66.76% of S&P 500 Index downside but only 58.25% of its upside - more exposed to losses than it benefited from rallies.
- Beta of 0.67 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.45 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 0.45 means the benchmark explains less than half of this ETF's behavior - treat beta with caution or consider switching to a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 0.57%
- Beta
- 0.67
- R²
- 0.45
- Upside Capture
- 58.25%
- Downside Capture
- 66.76%
Expense Ratio
SCJ has an expense ratio of 0.49%, placing it in the medium range.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
SCJ ranks 55 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 Japan Small Cap ETF (SCJ) 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.
| SCJ | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.32 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.48 | 2.46 | +0.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.30 | 10.92 | -2.61 |
Dividends
Dividend History
iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF provided a 2.80% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $2.92 per share.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $2.92 | $2.88 | $1.31 | $1.43 | $0.76 | $1.41 | $0.70 | $1.37 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.68 | $0.90 |
Dividend yield | 2.80% | 3.14% | 1.79% | 1.99% | 1.18% | 1.87% | 0.89% | 1.85% | 1.44% | 1.45% | 2.73% | 1.53% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap 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 | $0.92 | $0.92 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.89 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $2.00 | $2.88 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.71 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.60 | $1.31 |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.50 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.93 | $1.43 |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.76 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.76 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.59 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.82 | $1.41 |
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 Japan Small Cap 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 Japan Small Cap ETF was 43.52%, occurring on Oct 10, 2008. Recovery took 582 trading sessions.
The current iShares MSCI Japan Small Cap ETF drawdown is 1.98%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Financial crisis2007–2009 | -43.52%Oct 2008 | 4mo 24d | 2y 3mo | 2y 8moMay 2008 - Feb 2011 |
COVID crash2020 | -38.87%Mar 2020 | 2y 1mo | 10mo 29d | 3y 11dJan 2018 - Feb 2021 |
Bear market2022 | -33.25%Oct 2022 | 1y 1mo | 2y 7mo | 3y 8moSep 2021 - May 2025 |
2011 correction2011 | -19.37%Mar 2011 | 15d | 4mo 7d | 4mo 22dMar 2011 - Jul 2011 |
2013 correction2013 | -15.45%Jun 2013 | 28d | 4mo 13d | 5mo 11dMay 2013 - Oct 2013 |
Drawdown Indicators
| SCJ | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -43.52% | -56.78% | +13.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.17% | -9.10% | -3.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.43% | -18.90% | +6.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.25% | -25.43% | -7.82% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.87% | -33.92% | -4.95% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.98% | -3.21% | +1.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.36% | -10.71% | +0.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.62% | 2.04% | +1.58% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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