Lee Financial Co. made a significant move by initiating a new stake in the iShares Trust – iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (NASDAQ:IJT), as reported in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated January 22, 2026. The company acquired 55,677 shares of IJT, valued at $7.86 million based on the average share price over the quarter.
This new position represents 1.06% of Lee Financial Co.’s $741.18 million in reportable U.S. equity assets as of December 31, 2025. Following this transaction, IJT became one of the top holdings for Lee Financial Co., alongside other significant holdings like NYSEMKT: IVV, NYSEMKT: IJH, NYSEMKT: FNDX, NYSEMKT: IVW, and UNK: BRK-B.
As of January 21, 2026, shares of IJT were priced at $152.27. The ETF delivered an 8.2% total return over the past year, although it underperformed the S&P 500 by 5.5 percentage points during the same period.
IJT focuses on tracking the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index, concentrating on U.S. small-cap growth equities. The fund primarily consists of small-cap U.S. stocks with growth characteristics, with at least 80% of assets invested in index constituents and the remainder in cash equivalents and derivatives. It is structured as an ETF with a passively managed approach, catering to institutional and retail investors seeking exposure to small-cap growth.
With an AUM of $6.29 billion, IJT provides targeted exposure to the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity market through a rules-based, index-tracking strategy. The fund’s scale enables efficient access to a diversified basket of growth-oriented small-cap stocks, offering investors a cost-effective vehicle for capturing small-cap growth trends while maintaining liquidity and diversification.
The move by Lee Financial Co. to initiate a new position in IJT signifies the company’s belief in the potential of the fund. This buy was substantial enough to place IJT among Lee Financial’s top 15 holdings out of 142 by the end of 2025.
Investors interested in small-cap growth companies with strong growth characteristics can consider IJT, which boasts a substantial AUM, excellent liquidity, and a modest dividend yield. While the expense ratio of 0.18% may not be the cheapest for a passively-managed ETF, it remains reasonable. Given the fund’s focus on smaller growth-oriented companies, it may exhibit some volatility but offers the potential for significant gains over time, making it a valuable addition to a diversified portfolio.
