This ETF offers exposure to small cap stocks in emerging markets, an asset class that is often overlooked by investors but that should be included in most buy-and-hold portfolios. In addition to being a very useful tool for investors with a long-term time horizon, EEMS can be appealing to more active traders as well; this ETF offers a way to achieve quick exposure to risky assets that often exhibit relatively high volatility in both directions.

The most popular emerging markets ETFs, including EEM and VWO, are dominated by large cap stocks. While these funds offer exposure to the largest companies in the developing world, they may be impacted more significantly by broader macroeconomic trends than changes in local consumption. Small cap emerging markets companies may offer better “pure plays” on the local economies, and may also provide exposure to sectors that are underrepresented in large cap-heavy funds (which tend to be tilted toward energy and financials). Given its objective, EEMS can be useful as either an alternative or complement to products such as EEM or VWO; those seeking to achieve well rounded emerging markets exposure can do so by combining positions in large cap and small cap funds.

The EEMS portfolio is both broad and deep; the concentration issues that can pop up in large cap funds are not present, and this fund is relatively well balanced from a sector perspective as well. EEMS is more expensive than many other emerging markets ETFs, but the fees charged are reasonable given the type of exposure offered (though EWX offers a way to improve cost efficiency). Beyond EWX, another option for similar exposure is the dividend-weighted DGS (that ETF is also a bit cheaper). Investors also have a number of more targeted small cap ETFs that focus on specific emerging markets, including India (SCIN), China (ECNS), Brazil (BRF), and Russia (RSXJ).