Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A +0.09%) (BRK.B +0.17%) recently disclosed new positions in several major U.S. homebuilders in their latest 13-F filing. For investors looking to follow that lead in a diversified way, the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB +0.99%) offers an accessible option.
NYSEMKT: ITB
Key Data Points
This exchange-traded fund (ETF) holds a basket of homebuilding and related stocks -- companies that earn revenue from constructing, furnishing, and supplying new homes. For beginner investors, it's a simpler, diversified way to make the same trade without picking individual builders.
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
What is the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF?
This ETF passively tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index, which includes companies from the home construction, building materials and fixtures, furnishings, and home improvement retail subsectors. Like most indexes, to remain in the index, all holdings must meet basic size and liquidity requirements (typically minimum thresholds for market cap and average shares traded).
Because it is a passive ETF, the goal is not to beat the benchmark but to replicate its performance as closely as possible, giving investors direct exposure to the U.S. housing-related sector in a single holding.
How to buy the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF
- Step 1: Open your brokerage account: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Step 2: Search for the ETF: Enter the ticker or ETF name into the search bar to bring up the ETF's trading page.
- Step 3: Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this ETF.
- Step 4: Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Step 5: Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Step 6: Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Holdings of the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF
The ETF held 46 companies in late 2025, spanning home construction, building materials, furnishings, and retail. These are cyclical businesses that tend to rise and fall with housing starts and interest-rate cycles, reflected in the fund's three-year beta of 1.49, meaning it has been almost 1.5 times more volatile than the broader market. These are the top 10 holdings:
- D.R. Horton (DHI +1.50%): 14.9%
- Lennar Class A (LEN +0.33%): 9.6%
- PulteGroup (PHM +1.75%): 8.5%
- NVR (NVR +0.64%): 7.8%
- Sherwin-Williams (SHW +0.40%): 4.7%
- Home Depot (HD +0.72%): 4.6%
- Toll Brothers (TOL +0.93%): 4.5%
- Lowe's (LOW +0.35%): 4.4%
- TopBuild (BLD +0.33%): 4.2%
- Lennox (LII +0.54%): 3.2%
Together, these account for more than half of total assets, so performance is closely tied to the largest homebuilders and suppliers.
Should I invest in the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF?
You might consider this ETF if your investment thesis is that U.S. housing starts will rebound or that interest-rate cuts could spark a new homebuilding upcycle. Other potential catalysts include improving household formation trends, easing material costs, and constrained housing supply.
The fund can work as a short-term tactical trade if you expect housing activity to strengthen in the near term or as a long-term thematic holding if you see sustained demand for new housing. However, given its narrow sector focus and relatively limited number of holdings, it's best used as a satellite position -- a smaller targeted addition that complements a broader core portfolio of more diversified ETFs.
Does the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF pay a dividend?
Yes, the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF pays dividends. The ETF has a 30-day Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yield of 0.53% with quarterly distributions. The dividend yield is modest because most of its holdings reinvest heavily in growth rather than paying large dividends.
What is the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF's expense ratio?
The expense ratio measures how much investors pay annually for the fund's management and operations. This ETF charges 0.38%, or about $38 per $10,000 invested, which is average for a sector-specific ETF.
Expense Ratio
Historical performance of iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF
Metric | 1 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Net Asset Value | (14.27%) | 28.49% | 14.54% | 15.93% |
Market Price | (14.23%) | 28.44% | 14.54% | 15.93% |
Related investing topics
The bottom line on the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF
This ETF offers a straightforward way to gain exposure to the U.S. housing sector at a reasonable fee and without picking individual stocks. It mirrors the performance of top homebuilders and suppliers, making it an appealing tool for investors bullish on the next housing cycle. Just keep in mind that it's a cyclical, sector-specific fund best suited as a supporting player rather than a portfolio centerpiece.
