CFA vs. IUS

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

CFA (VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF) and IUS (Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds - CFA tracks the Nasdaq Victory U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index while IUS tracks the Invesco Strategic US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, CFA returned 7.94%/yr vs 13.61%/yr for IUS. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure. CFA charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IUS.

Performance

CFA vs. IUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) and Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CFA achieves a 6.98% return, which is significantly lower than IUS's 15.71% return.

CFA

• 1D: 0.49%
• 1M: 1.35%
• YTD: 6.98%
• 6M: 7.87%
• 1Y: 14.73%
• 3Y*: 13.90%
• 5Y*: 7.94%
• 10Y*: 11.44%

IUS

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 4.89%
• YTD: 15.71%
• 6M: 15.69%
• 1Y: 33.27%
• 3Y*: 20.93%
• 5Y*: 13.61%
• 10Y*: —

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

CFA vs. IUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
CFA VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF	6.98%	8.63%	15.34%	11.85%	-11.39%	26.09%	11.98%	30.15%	-15.36%
IUS Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF	15.71%	16.94%	16.51%	20.79%	-8.34%	32.17%	15.09%	29.34%	-12.49%

Correlation

The correlation between CFA and IUS is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 2018	0.87

The correlation between CFA and IUS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

CFA vs. IUS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CFA	IUS
Industrials	18.4%	9.7%
Financial Services	18.3%	6.8%
Technology	14.9%	22.4%
Consumer Cyclical	9.8%	10.7%
Healthcare	9.5%	12.8%
Utilities	9.0%	1.0%
Consumer Defensive	6.8%	7.4%
Energy	5.5%	10.9%
Basic Materials	3.6%	3.3%
Communication Services	3.6%	14.7%
Real Estate	0.5%	0.5%

Return for Risk

CFA vs. IUS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CFA

CFA Risk / Return Rank: 40
CFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
CFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
CFA Omega Ratio Rank: 36
CFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
CFA Martin Ratio Rank: 46

IUS

IUS Risk / Return Rank: 91
IUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
IUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
IUS Omega Ratio Rank: 90
IUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
IUS Martin Ratio Rank: 92

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CFA vs. IUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) and Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS). 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.

	CFA	IUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.38	3.26	-1.88
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.05	4.53	-2.48
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.60	-0.35
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.07	5.44	-3.36
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.69	23.27	-15.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CFA vs. IUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CFA Sharpe Ratio is 1.38, which is lower than the IUS Sharpe Ratio of 3.26. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CFA and IUS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CFA	IUS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.38	3.26	-1.88
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.91	-0.38
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.67	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.62	0.85	-0.23

Drawdowns

CFA vs. IUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CFA drawdown since its inception was -37.74%, which is greater than IUS's maximum drawdown of -34.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CFA and IUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	CFA	IUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.74%	-34.67%	-3.07%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.13%	-6.15%	-0.98%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.28%	-15.61%	-1.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.88%	-18.72%	-2.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.74%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.07%	+0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.17%	-3.86%	-0.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.92%	1.43%	+0.49%

Volatility

CFA vs. IUS - Volatility Comparison

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF (CFA) and Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS) have volatilities of 2.52% and 2.50%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CFA	IUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.52%	2.50%	+0.02%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.86%	7.41%	+0.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.69%	10.26%	+0.43%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.06%	15.00%	+0.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.22%	18.04%	-0.82%

CFA vs. IUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

CFA has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than IUS's 0.19% expense ratio.

Dividends

CFA vs. IUS - Dividend Comparison

CFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.23%, less than IUS's 1.28% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CFA VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Weighted ETF	1.23%	1.29%	1.32%	1.42%	1.59%	1.04%	1.21%	1.35%	1.50%	1.15%	1.37%	1.31%
IUS Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF	1.28%	1.48%	1.52%	1.72%	1.78%	1.46%	1.74%	1.77%	0.73%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CFA and IUS in my portfolio?

CFA and IUS 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, CFA or IUS?

CFA has higher volatility (2.52%) compared to IUS (2.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CFA dropped -37.74% vs IUS's -34.67%.

Which ETF is better, CFA or IUS?

On 5-year performance, IUS leads with 13.61% vs 7.94% for CFA. On fees, IUS is cheaper at 0.19% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CFA or IUS?

Over the 5-year period, IUS has performed better with a 13.61% return vs 7.94%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CFA or IUS?

IUS is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for CFA.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CFA or IUS?

IUS has the higher dividend yield at 1.28%, compared with 1.23% for CFA.

What is the main difference between CFA and IUS?

CFA tracks Nasdaq Victory U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, while IUS tracks Invesco Strategic US Index. They also come from different issuers: VictoryShares and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for CFA and 0.19% for IUS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.26 vs 1.38), 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.