AVUS vs. IWM

Last updated Jul 31, 2026

AVUS (Avantis U.S. Equity ETF) and IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVUS is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by Avantis, while IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. AVUS is actively managed, while IWM is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVUS returned 12.64%/yr vs 7.09%/yr for IWM. Their correlation of 0.91 means they have usually moved in the same direction. AVUS charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IWM.

Performance

AVUS vs. IWM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVUS achieves a 14.06% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 19.36% return.

AVUS

• 1D: 1.68%
• 1M: -0.94%
• 6M: 9.63%
• YTD: 14.06%
• 1Y: 23.90%
• 3Y*: 18.84%
• 5Y*: 12.64%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 16.02%

IWM

• 1D: 1.39%
• 1M: -2.62%
• 6M: 11.56%
• YTD: 19.36%
• 1Y: 33.43%
• 3Y*: 15.12%
• 5Y*: 7.09%
• 10Y*: 10.59%
• ALL TIME*: 8.75%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	$38.04M	$39.21M	$43.08M
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	$6.69B	$6.23B	$7.44B

AVUS vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	14.06%	16.68%	20.43%	21.77%	-13.82%	28.73%	17.58%	8.55%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	19.36%	12.66%	11.38%	16.83%	-20.48%	14.54%	20.03%	7.90%

Correlation

The correlation between AVUS and IWM is 0.87, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2019	0.91

The correlation between AVUS and IWM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

AVUS vs. IWM - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AVUS	IWM
Technology	29.3%	13.8%
Financial Services	16.2%	18.0%
Industrials	11.1%	14.3%
Consumer Cyclical	11.0%	9.2%
Communication Services	8.5%	1.9%
Healthcare	7.3%	20.1%
Energy	7.1%	5.6%
Consumer Defensive	4.4%	2.7%
Basic Materials	2.7%	4.2%
Utilities	2.4%	2.8%
Real Estate	0.1%	6.9%

Return for Risk

AVUS vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AVUS

AVUS Risk / Return Rank: 84
AVUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
AVUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
AVUS Omega Ratio Rank: 81
AVUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
AVUS Martin Ratio Rank: 90

IWM

IWM Risk / Return Rank: 80
IWM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
IWM Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
IWM Omega Ratio Rank: 73
IWM Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
IWM Martin Ratio Rank: 83

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AVUS vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AVUS	IWM	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.86	1.73	+0.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	2.47	+0.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.29	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	3.05	+0.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.47	10.81	+2.66

AVUS vs. IWM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVUS Sharpe Ratio is 1.86, which is comparable to the IWM Sharpe Ratio of 1.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVUS and IWM, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AVUS vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVUS drawdown since its inception was -37.04%, smaller than the maximum IWM drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVUS and IWM.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVUS	IWM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.04%	-59.05%	+22.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.85%	-11.03%	+3.18%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.74%	-27.50%	+7.76%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.19%	-31.91%	+9.72%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-41.13%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.27%	-2.62%	+1.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.00%	-10.71%	+5.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.78%	3.11%	-1.33%

Volatility

AVUS vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) is 3.36%, while iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a volatility of 3.81%. This indicates that AVUS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IWM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVUS	IWM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.36%	3.81%	-0.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.92%	14.11%	-4.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.94%	19.41%	-6.47%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.33%	22.48%	-5.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.72%	23.01%	-2.29%

AVUS vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVUS has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than IWM's 0.19% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

AVUS vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison

AVUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, more than IWM's 0.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	0.93%	1.08%	1.27%	1.41%	1.59%	1.08%	1.19%	0.35%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	0.91%	1.04%	1.15%	1.35%	1.48%	0.94%	1.04%	1.26%	1.40%	1.26%	1.38%	1.54%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVUS and IWM in my portfolio?

AVUS and IWM have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVUS or IWM?

IWM has higher volatility (3.81%) compared to AVUS (3.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVUS dropped -37.04% vs IWM's -59.05%.

Which ETF is better, AVUS or IWM?

On 5-year performance, AVUS leads with 12.64% vs 7.09% for IWM. On fees, AVUS is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, AVUS has been the lower-risk option at 3.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AVUS or IWM?

Over the 5-year period, AVUS has performed better with a 12.64% return vs 7.09%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AVUS or IWM?

AVUS is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IWM.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AVUS or IWM?

AVUS has the higher dividend yield at 0.93%, compared with 0.91% for IWM.

What is the main difference between AVUS and IWM?

AVUS is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while IWM is Small Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: Avantis and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for AVUS and 0.19% for IWM.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AVUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 1.73), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.