CORO vs. IEFA

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CORO (iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF) and IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CORO is a Tactical Allocation fund actively managed by iShares, while IEFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Investable Market Index. CORO is actively managed, while IEFA is passively managed. Over the past year, CORO returned 37.63% vs 22.00% for IEFA. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. CORO charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IEFA.

Performance

CORO vs. IEFA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CORO achieves a 17.91% return, which is significantly higher than IEFA's 8.85% return.

CORO

• 1D: -0.87%
• 1M: 6.02%
• YTD: 17.91%
• 6M: 20.41%
• 1Y: 37.63%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IEFA

• 1D: -0.78%
• 1M: 3.43%
• YTD: 8.85%
• 6M: 11.45%
• 1Y: 22.00%
• 3Y*: 16.72%
• 5Y*: 8.07%
• 10Y*: 9.22%

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

CORO vs. IEFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CORO iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF	17.91%	35.09%	-3.56%
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	8.85%	32.08%	-3.86%

Correlation

The correlation between CORO and IEFA is 0.93, 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	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 5, 2024	0.93

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

Return for Risk

CORO vs. IEFA — Risk / Return Rank

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

CORO

CORO Risk / Return Rank: 72
CORO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
CORO Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
CORO Omega Ratio Rank: 74
CORO Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
CORO Martin Ratio Rank: 71

IEFA

IEFA Risk / Return Rank: 41
IEFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
IEFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
IEFA Omega Ratio Rank: 41
IEFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
IEFA Martin Ratio Rank: 44

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.

CORO vs. IEFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). 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.

	CORO	IEFA	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.45	1.48	+0.97
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.31	2.14	+1.17
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.27	+0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.36	1.92	+1.44
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.43	7.34	+6.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CORO vs. IEFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORO Sharpe Ratio is 2.45, which is higher than the IEFA Sharpe Ratio of 1.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORO and IEFA, 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

	CORO	IEFA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.45	1.48	+0.97
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.49	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.53	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.02	0.51	+1.51

Drawdowns

CORO vs. IEFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORO drawdown since its inception was -14.13%, smaller than the maximum IEFA drawdown of -34.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORO and IEFA.

Drawdown Indicators

	CORO	IEFA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.13%	-34.78%	+20.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.25%	-11.50%	+0.25%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-13.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-30.41%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-34.78%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.87%	-1.20%	+0.33%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.74%	-6.69%	+4.95%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.81%	3.01%	-0.20%

Volatility

CORO vs. IEFA - Volatility Comparison

iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) has a higher volatility of 5.41% compared to iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) at 4.86%. This indicates that CORO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CORO	IEFA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.41%	4.86%	+0.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.21%	12.42%	+0.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.44%	14.96%	+0.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.66%	16.51%	+0.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.66%	17.30%	-0.64%

CORO vs. IEFA - Expense Ratio Comparison

CORO has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than IEFA's 0.07% expense ratio.

Dividends

CORO vs. IEFA - Dividend Comparison

CORO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.72%, less than IEFA's 3.26% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CORO iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF	2.72%	3.20%	1.53%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	3.26%	3.55%	3.47%	3.20%	2.70%	3.32%	1.90%	3.18%	3.46%	2.57%	2.96%	2.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CORO and IEFA in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, CORO and IEFA move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, CORO or IEFA?

CORO has higher volatility (5.41%) compared to IEFA (4.86%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CORO dropped -14.13% vs IEFA's -34.78%.

Which ETF is better, CORO or IEFA?

On 1-year performance, CORO leads with 37.63% vs 22.00% for IEFA. On fees, IEFA is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, IEFA has been the lower-risk option at 4.86%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CORO or IEFA?

Over the 1-year period, CORO has performed better with a 37.63% return vs 22.00%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CORO or IEFA?

IEFA is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for CORO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CORO or IEFA?

IEFA has the higher dividend yield at 3.26%, compared with 2.72% for CORO.

What is the main difference between CORO and IEFA?

CORO is categorized as Tactical Allocation, while IEFA is Foreign Large Cap Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for CORO and 0.07% for IEFA.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CORO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 1.48), 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.