VS
Manulife Multifactor U.S. Small Cap Index ETF (MUSC) and iShares U.S. Small Cap Index ETF (XSU) offer distinct profiles for Canadian ETF investors. A direct comparison shows that MUSC focuses its top 3 sector exposures on Finance, Industrials, and Technology, while XSU leans towards Finance, Healthcare, and Technology. When evaluating costs, MUSC features a management fee (MER) of 0.5%, compared to 0.35% for XSU. Performance-wise, MUSC has returned 14.94% year-to-date with +$0 M in net flows, whereas XSU is at 19.43% with -$22 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
MUSC
XSU
| AuM | $4.06 M | $772.47 M |
| Management Fees | 0.50% | 0.35% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.55% | 0.36% |
| Tracking Difference | 0.05% | -0.40% |
Historical performance and flows
As of July 21, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | MUSC | +1.35% | +4.68% | +14.94% | +21.14% | +37.76% |
XSU | -0.64% | +7.92% | +19.43% | +32.38% | +49.22% | |
| Flows | MUSC | +$0 M | -$0 M | +$0 M | +$2 M | +$2 M |
XSU | +$19 M | +$21 M | -$22 M | -$58 M | +$54 M |
MUSC vs XSU exposure
Countries
MUSC
USA
96.11%
XSU
USA
94.78%
Sectors
MUSC
Finance
26.17%
Industrials
13.86%
Technology
11.45%
Non-Energy Materials
8.81%
Consumer Cyclicals
8.62%
Healthcare
8.36%
Other
22.72%
XSU
Finance
25.42%
Healthcare
19.96%
Technology
12.85%
Industrials
11.45%
Other
30.33%
As of July 21, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
MUSC
Element Solutions, Inc.
0.61%
Arrow Electronics, Inc.
0.59%
Littelfuse, Inc.
0.57%
Sanmina Corp.
0.54%
Ryder System, Inc.
0.53%
Krystal Biotech, Inc.
0.53%
The Timken Co.
0.51%
Semtech Corp.
0.50%
AAON, Inc.
0.48%
Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.
0.47%
XSU
Moog, Inc.
0.37%
Hut 8 Corp.
0.37%
ViaSat, Inc.
0.35%
BrightSpring Health Services, Inc.
0.35%
Cytokinetics, Inc.
0.35%
MaxLinear, Inc.
0.34%
Argan, Inc.
0.34%
UMB Financial Corp.
0.33%
JFrog Ltd.
0.31%
Riot Platforms, Inc.
0.30%
Diversification
MUSC
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 486 total
5.32%
XSU
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 1,992 total
3.41%
Characteristics
Compare
MUSC
XSU
| Provider | Manulife Investments | iShares |
| Management | Passively managed | Passively managed |
| Benchmark | John Hancock Dimensional Small Cap Index Total Return Hedged to CAD - CAD | Russell 2000 CAD Hedged NTR Index - CAD |
| Replication Method | Direct (Physical) | |
| Asset Class | Equity | Equity |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 1.19% | 0.75% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | No |
| Inception Date | November 27, 2017 | May 14, 2007 |
Frequently asked questions about MUSC and XSU
Which ETF has performed better year to date: MUSC or XSU?
As of July 21, 2026, MUSC has returned 14.94% year to date, while XSU has returned 19.43%. XSU is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: MUSC or XSU?
As of July 21, 2026, MUSC manages $4.06 M in assets, while XSU manages $772.47 M. XSU is the larger fund by AUM.
How are MUSC and XSU managed?
MUSC is passively managed by Manulife Investments. It tracks the John Hancock Dimensional Small Cap Index Total Return Hedged to CAD - CAD benchmark. XSU is passively managed by iShares. It tracks the Russell 2000 CAD Hedged NTR Index - CAD benchmark.
What sectors do MUSC and XSU emphasize?
MUSC is most exposed to Finance, Industrials, and Technology. XSU is most exposed to Finance, Healthcare, and Technology.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: MUSC or XSU?
Year to date, MUSC has seen +$0.04 M in net flows, compared with -$22.15 M for XSU. MUSC has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of MUSC and XSU compare?
MUSC has an expense ratio of 0.55%, while XSU has an expense ratio of 0.36%.
What are the top holdings of MUSC and XSU?
MUSC's largest holdings include Element Solutions, Inc., Arrow Electronics, Inc., and Littelfuse, Inc.. XSU's top holdings include Moog, Inc., Hut 8 Corp., and ViaSat, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: MUSC or XSU?
MUSC holds 482 securities, while XSU holds 1961. On holdings count, XSU is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about MUSC and XSU
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