Lee Financial’s Little Nibble: Is This ETF a Grower?

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Now, listen closely. There’s a fellow named Lee – Lee Financial, that is – and he’s a bit of a hoarder, but a clever hoarder. Not the sort who collects dust bunnies, oh no. This Lee collects shares. And recently, he’s been nibbling at the iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT 1.02%). A rather large nibble, as it happens – $7.86 million worth, to be precise. That’s enough to make even a particularly greedy goblin blush.

He scooped up 55,677 shares, you see, on January 22nd, 2026. A tidy sum. It’s the first time he’s bothered with this particular ETF, which is a bit like a fussy eater finally trying a new vegetable. And it represents 1.06% of his entire pile of U.S. equity sweets. A small slice, perhaps, but a promising one.

Now, Lee Financial isn’t known for flinging money about willy-nilly. He’s a calculating sort, always sniffing out the best opportunities. He already has a fondness for certain other funds, like IVV ($187.02 million), IJH ($92.10 million), FNDX ($63.24 million), IVW ($44.54 million), and even a peculiar obsession with BRK-B ($37.94 million). But IJT has clearly caught his eye.

As of January 21st, 2026, a single share of IJT cost $152.27. Not a fortune, but enough to make a sensible investor raise an eyebrow. And over the past year, it’s managed a respectable 8.2% return. Not quite enough to send you on a trip to the moon, but better than leaving your money under the mattress.

Let’s have a peek at the innards of this IJT contraption, shall we? It’s a sort of basket filled with small-cap growth stocks – little companies with big ideas. A whopping $6.29 billion is sloshing around inside, and it coughs up a dividend yield of 0.8%. A modest offering, but a welcome one. It’s like finding a penny in the street – not life-changing, but cheerful.

The brains behind IJT are trying to mimic the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index. They cram at least 80% of their funds into companies that fit the bill, with the rest tucked away in cash and peculiar financial instruments. It’s a passive affair, designed for those who prefer to let the market do the work. A bit like a well-trained robot, really.

So, what does this Lee Financial transaction actually mean? Well, it suggests he sees potential. He’s catapulted IJT into his top 15 holdings out of a grand total of 142. That’s a rather strong signal, wouldn’t you agree? It’s like a particularly discerning dog sniffing out the tastiest bone in the pile.

IJT, you see, is a well-established fund with plenty of liquidity – over $6.3 billion worth. That means you can buy and sell shares without causing a ruckus. And while the expense ratio of 0.18% isn’t exactly peanuts, it’s not outrageous either. It’s a small price to pay for access to this little corner of the market.

Now, small-cap growth stocks are a bit like mischievous imps – they can be volatile. IJT has a beta of 1.2, which means it tends to swing around more than the overall market. But that’s the price you pay for the potential of greater gains. It’s a gamble, of course, but a calculated one. It’s a bit like training a particularly energetic squirrel – it might cause chaos, but it’s also rather entertaining.

In conclusion, this IJT fund isn’t going to make you a millionaire overnight. But it offers a sensible way to add some small-cap growth exposure to your portfolio. It’s a bit like planting a small seed – with a little patience, it might just blossom into something quite beautiful. And with a fellow like Lee Financial taking an interest, it’s certainly worth a closer look.

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2026-02-01 02:02