What Is IJH? iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF

The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) is a low-cost fund from BlackRock that tracks the S&P MidCap 400 Index. It holds roughly 400 US mid-sized companies in a single ticker, giving investors broad, diversified exposure to the middle of the US market-cap spectrum at a very low fee.

IJH is part of the iShares Core lineup, a set of funds designed to be long-term building blocks. Mid caps sit between the mega-cap giants of the S&P 500 and the smaller companies of the small-cap indexes, a band that many investors add specifically because standard large-cap funds leave it out.

Approximate weights as of mid-2026; refresh quarterly from BlackRock (iShares)'s fund page. Each ticker links to its individual stock guide in Walnut.

IJH is deeply diversified. It holds around 400 companies, and no single stock accounts for much more than 1% of the fund. Top holdings in mid-2026 include Comfort Systems USA, Pure Storage, Flex, RB Global, Casey's General Stores, Nutanix, Guidewire Software, and Curtiss-Wright, each near or below 1%.

By sector the fund spreads across industrials, financials, technology, consumer, health care, and materials, without the heavy mega-cap tech tilt of large-cap indexes. This even distribution across hundreds of names is a defining feature: IJH is a broad market bet on US mid caps, not a concentrated position in a few winners.

The most common comparison is IJH versus an S&P 500 fund like IVV. IVV owns the largest US companies and is dominated by mega-cap technology, while IJH targets mid caps with no name above about 1%. They are complements: IVV covers the top of the market, IJH the middle.

Vanguard's VO is the closest direct peer, tracking a similar mid-cap universe at a comparably low fee. Differences between IJH and VO come down to the exact index, minor holdings, and pricing, and both are excellent low-cost core mid-cap options. Investors often choose based on which fund family they already use.

IJH's returns reflect the broad performance of US mid-cap companies, which historically have delivered competitive long-term returns but with more volatility than large caps. Mid caps can outperform when the economy is expanding and smaller companies gain momentum, and lag when investors crowd into the largest names.

The outlook for IJH is essentially a view on the US mid-cap segment. Supporters note that mid caps are more diversified and less concentrated than today's top-heavy large-cap indexes. Risks include greater sensitivity to the domestic economy and interest rates. Past performance does not predict future results.

IJH can fit investors who want cheap, diversified US mid-cap exposure as a core allocation, often paired with an S&P 500 fund and sometimes a small-cap fund to cover the whole domestic market. Its rock-bottom fee and broad diversification make it a natural long-term building block.

Walnut is not an investment adviser, and IJH is not right for everyone. Mid caps carry more volatility than large caps and are more tied to the US economy. Consider how much mid-cap exposure you already have through other funds, and weigh IJH against your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

IJH trades on any major US brokerage, including Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, and Public. You buy it like a stock by entering the ticker IJH, and many brokers offer fractional shares so you can start with a small dollar amount rather than a full share.

If you use Walnut, you can connect your brokerage to track IJH alongside your other positions and thematic baskets. Walnut mirrors your real holdings read-only and shows how each is doing against your target weights, while any actual trades continue to happen at your own broker.

IJH is a low-cost, core building block for US mid-cap exposure, the market slice that sits between large caps and small caps. At 0.05% it is among the cheapest ways to own the S&P MidCap 400. Best used as a core allocation to complement an S&P 500 fund, not a niche or tactical bet.

Whether IJH is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is IJH a buy?

IJH yields ~1.25% as of mid-2026, paid by passing through the dividends of its underlying holdings. For the payout schedule, history, and how the distributions are taxed, see IJH dividend: yield and schedule.