SUMMARY

We rate iShares MSCI France at D. Negative factors that influence this rating include a short term portfolio management tenure. The fund invests approximately 100% of its assets in stocks and may be considered for investors seeking a Non-US Equity strategy.

POSITIVES AND RISKS

Total return ranks well below peers over the last three years. The iShares MSCI France has returned an annual rate of 6.24% since inception. More recently, the fund has generated a total return of -5.10% in the last five years, -0.17% in the last three years, and 8.65% in the last year. How does that compare to other equity funds? In the last five years, it has outperformed 9% of them. It has also outpaced 16% of its competitors on a three year basis and 44% of them over the last year for the period ending 3/31/2013. On a year to date basis, EWQ has returned -1.61%.

Downside risk has been above average. EWQ has a draw down risk of -35.80%, which is the largest price decline experienced over the last three years. This fund has a three year standard deviation of 27.6%. This fund has experienced excessive volatility in its monthly performance over the last 36 months. As of 3/31/2013, the fund was trading at a price of $23.21, which is 4.7% below its 52-week high of $24.35 and 2.0% above its 52-week low of $22.75.

Low expense ratio helps performance. On total assets of $501.30 million, EWQ maintains a low expense ratio compared to its Non-US Equity peers of just 0.53% to cover all operating costs. Brokerage costs for the fund to buy and sell shares are not included in the expense ratio. As EWQ is an exchange traded fund, it has no front end or back end load.

The iShares MSCI France is managed by Diane Hsiung at BlackRock Fund Advisors. This fund is one of 283 BlackRock Fund Advisors exchange-traded funds launched since 3/12/1996 that we track.