iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF (IMTM) Covered Calls

iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the MSCI World ex USA Momentum Top 50 Index. The fund provides exposure to large- and mid-cap international stocks exhibiting relatively higher price momentum. By focusing on equities with a trend of upward price performance over the past six and twelve months, the fund seeks to capture the risk premium associated with the momentum factor across developed non-U.S. equity markets.

You can sell covered calls on iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF to lower risk and earn monthly income. Born To Sell's covered call screener gives you customized search capabilities across all possible covered calls but here are a couple of examples for IMTM (prices last updated Mon 4:16 PM ET):

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The iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF (IMTM) is a "smart beta" investment vehicle designed to provide exposure to international developed-market stocks that have demonstrated the strongest recent price trends. Based on the academic premise that stocks that have performed well in the recent past tend to continue performing well in the near future, IMTM offers a systematic way to capture this momentum factor outside of the United States. The fund is part of the iShares factor suite, which utilizes rule-based methodologies to target specific drivers of risk and return.

Core Business and Products

The fund's primary "products" are its diversified holdings in approximately 200 to 300 international equities. The underlying index selects stocks from the MSCI World ex USA Index based on their risk-adjusted momentum over the prior six- and twelve-month periods. Because momentum is a "style" rather than a sector-specific strategy, the fund’s composition can shift dramatically during semi-annual rebalancing. In 2026, the portfolio often features a heavy tilt toward Japanese, European, and Canadian firms, with significant weightings in high-performing sectors like industrials, financials, or technology, depending on current market leadership.

Competitive Landscape

Investors using IMTM are typically looking for growth-oriented international exposure. The fund competes with both domestic momentum funds and broad international benchmarks. Key optionable competitors include:

1. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF: The domestic counterpart to IMTM, focusing on U.S. stocks with high momentum.
2. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF: The "style" opposite of IMTM, focusing on undervalued international stocks.
3. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF: The broad, core international benchmark against which IMTM seeks to generate alpha.

Strategic Outlook and Innovation

The strategic value of IMTM in 2026 lies in its ability to automatically pivot into the strongest areas of the global market. As global economic cycles diverge—with some regions benefiting from AI-led productivity and others from commodity booms—IMTM identifies and weights these winners without requiring active manager intervention. Management at BlackRock focuses on maintaining high liquidity and low tracking error, ensuring the fund remains a reliable building block for sophisticated "factor-tilted" portfolios.

Innovation at the fund level involves the use of MSCI’s refined momentum scoring, which accounts for volatility to ensure that the "trend" being captured is robust rather than just a result of high-beta spikes. By rebalancing twice a year, the fund sheds "stale" momentum stocks that have begun to mean-revert and replaces them with the newest market leaders. This evergreen approach allows IMTM to serve as a dynamic growth engine for investors who want to participate in international market rallies while maintaining a disciplined, rules-based framework.

Want more examples? IMOS Covered Calls | IMTX Covered Calls