ETF Evaluator:
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA)
Follow This ETF
(as of Jul 31)
Best Performing in Foreign Large Blend Over the Last Year
| 61.4% | Pacer Nasdaq International Ptnt Ldrs ETF (PATN) |
| 37.4% | Harbor International Equity ETF (EPIN) |
| 35.9% | iShares Currency Hdgd MSCI ACWI exUS ETF (HAWX) |
| 34.5% | Xtrackers MSCI All World exUS Hdg Eq ETF (DBAW) |
| 33.6% | NYLI FTSE International Eq Ccy Netrl ETF (HFXI) |
Risk
Index
Risk
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ETF Details
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Overview
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is a passively managed International Equity Foreign Large Blend exchange-traded fund (ETF). iShares launched the ETF in 2001.
The investment seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI EAFE Index composed of large- and mid-capitalization developed market equities, excluding the U.S. and Canada.
The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its underlying index. The index is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index designed to measure large- and mid-capitalization equity market performance of developed markets outside of the U.S. and Canada.
About iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA)
There are 4 members of the management team with an average tenure of 4.34 years: Jennifer Hsui (2012), Peter Sietsema (2025), Matt Waldron (2025) and Steven White (2025). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.
The ETF has 2 primary benchmarks: MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD index with a weighting of 100% and MSCI EAFE NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has 712 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 14.3% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity ETF group. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has 98.1% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 1.3% There is 98.1% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has 0.5% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $77 billion in total assets, which is above the $9 billion average for the Foreign Large Blend category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
EFA Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The iShares MSCI EAFE ETF expense ratio is below average compared to funds in the Foreign Large Blend category. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has an expense ratio of 0.32%, which is 19% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a C. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 4%, which indicates that it holds its assets around / 0.3 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 39% for the Foreign Large Blend category.
Recently, in the month of June 2026, iShares MSCI EAFE ETF returned 0.6%, which earned it a grade of B, as the Foreign Large Blend category had an average return of -0.1%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a trailing yield of 3.24%, which is above the 2.63% category average.
The fund normally distributes its income semi-annually and its capital gains annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Grades
Year to date, the ETF has returned 10.1%, 0.9 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of C. The fund has returned 20.1% over the past year (grade of D), 16.4% over the past three years (grade of D) and 9.1% per year over the past five years (grade of C) and 9.7% per year over the past 10 years (grade of D).
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EFA Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 6/30/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| EFA Return (NAV) | 0.6% | 9.0% | 20.1% | 16.4% | 9.1% | 9.7% |
| EFA Return (Price) | 0.7% | 8.6% | 20.2% | 16.3% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| NAV +/- Price Return | -0.115% | 0.342% | -0.079% | 0.040% | 0.048% | 0.074% |
| Foreign Large Blend Avg | -0.1% | 10.5% | 22.3% | 17.2% | 9.0% | 9.7% |
| EFA Grade (NAV) | B | D | D | D | C | D |
| +/- Category (NAV) | 0.6% | -1.5% | -2.2% | -0.8% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| EFA Tax-Cost Ratio | na | na | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
EFA Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 6/30/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| EFA Return (NAV) | 10.1% | 31.4% | 3.4% | 18.1% | -14.3% | 11.2% | 7.9% | 21.9% | -13.8% | 24.9% | 1.0% |
| EFA Return (Price) | 9.9% | 31.6% | 3.5% | 18.4% | -14.4% | 11.5% | 7.6% | 22.0% | -13.8% | 25.1% | 1.4% |
| NAV +/- Price Ret | -0.019% | 0.005% | 0.024% | 0.018% | 0.006% | 0.020% | -0.041% | 0.4% | -0.2% | 0.6% | 42.4% |
| Foreign Large Blend Avg | 10.9% | 31.3% | 5.3% | 16.9% | -14.7% | 10.3% | 8.8% | 22.0% | -13.2% | 24.6% | 1.9% |
| EFA Grade (NAV) | C | C | D | B | B | C | C | D | C | C | D |
| +/- Category | -0.9% | 0.1% | -1.9% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.9% | -0.9% | -0.1% | -0.6% | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Beta: | 0.87 |
| R-Squared: | 88% |
| Standard Deviation: | 12.8% |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.98 |
| Category Risk Rating: | Below Average |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.05 |
| Total Risk Rating: | Average |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Yield: | 3.2% |
| Total Assets: | $ 77,218 Mil |
| Share Class Assets: | $ 77,218 Mil |
| Turnover: | 4.0% |
| Expense Ratio: | 0.32% |
| Index Fund: | Yes |
| Index Tracked: | MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD |
| Index Weighting: | 100% |
| Leveraged: | No |
| Socially Responsible Fund: | No |
| Capital Gains Distribution Frequency: | Annually |
| Income Distribution Frequency: | Semi-Annually |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 4 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 13.6 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 4.3 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Hsui Jennifer (2012), Sietsema Peter (2025), Waldron Matt (2025), White Steven (2025) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 6/30/26)
| # of Holdings: | 712 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 14.3% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 98.1% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 1.3% |
| Foreign Stock: | 98.1% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.2% |
| Cash: | 0.5% |
Purchase Information
| Legal Structure: | Open Ended Investment Company |
| Fund Family: | iShares |
| Phone Number: | 800-474-2737 |
| Website: | www.ishares.com |
| Inception Date: | August 14, 2001 |
Expenses and Fees
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.32% (Rating: Below Avg) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.39% |
