GLOF vs. IWM

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Global Equity Factor ETF (GLOF) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM).

GLOF and IWM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GLOF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the STOXX Global Equity Factor Index. It was launched on Apr 28, 2005. IWM is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Russell 2000 Index. It was launched on May 22, 2000. Both GLOF and IWM are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

GLOF vs. IWM - Performance Comparison

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

GLOF vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GLOF iShares Global Equity Factor ETF	-1.25%	23.92%	17.49%	22.38%	-16.97%	18.68%	10.00%	23.21%	-13.70%	29.86%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	0.93%	12.66%	11.38%	16.83%	-20.48%	14.54%	20.03%	25.39%	-11.12%	14.58%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GLOF achieves a -1.25% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 0.93% return. Over the past 10 years, GLOF has outperformed IWM with an annualized return of 10.98%, while IWM has yielded a comparatively lower 9.76% annualized return.

GLOF

• 1D: 2.86%
• 1M: -5.68%
• YTD: -1.25%
• 6M: 1.91%
• 1Y: 23.93%
• 3Y*: 18.44%
• 5Y*: 9.66%
• 10Y*: 10.98%

IWM

• 1D: 3.50%
• 1M: -4.96%
• YTD: 0.93%
• 6M: 3.02%
• 1Y: 25.66%
• 3Y*: 12.94%
• 5Y*: 3.34%
• 10Y*: 9.76%

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

GLOF vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison

GLOF has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than IWM's 0.19% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

GLOF

iShares Global Equity Factor ETF

IWM

iShares Russell 2000 ETF

Return for Risk

GLOF vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank

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

GLOF

GLOF Risk / Return Rank: 81
GLOF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
GLOF Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
GLOF Omega Ratio Rank: 81
GLOF Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
GLOF Martin Ratio Rank: 87

IWM

IWM Risk / Return Rank: 69
IWM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
IWM Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
IWM Omega Ratio Rank: 61
IWM Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
IWM Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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.

GLOF vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Global Equity Factor ETF (GLOF) 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.

	GLOF	IWM	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.41	1.11	+0.30
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.06	1.66	+0.40
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.21	+0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.10	1.82	+0.28
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.99	6.76	+3.23
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GLOF vs. IWM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GLOF Sharpe Ratio is 1.41, which is comparable to the IWM Sharpe Ratio of 1.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GLOF and IWM, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GLOF	IWM	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.41	1.11	+0.30
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.15	+0.47
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	0.43	+0.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.34	+0.18

Correlation

The correlation between GLOF and IWM is 0.74, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

GLOF vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison

GLOF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.72%, more than IWM's 1.02% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GLOF iShares Global Equity Factor ETF	1.72%	1.70%	2.59%	2.51%	2.53%	1.90%	1.73%	2.41%	2.03%	1.94%	1.94%	0.92%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	1.02%	1.04%	1.15%	1.35%	1.48%	0.94%	1.04%	1.26%	1.40%	1.26%	1.38%	1.54%

Drawdowns

GLOF vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GLOF drawdown since its inception was -34.12%, smaller than the maximum IWM drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLOF and IWM.

Drawdown Indicators

	GLOF	IWM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.12%	-59.05%	+24.93%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.32%	-13.74%	+2.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.15%	-31.91%	+6.76%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.12%	-41.13%	+7.01%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.45%	-7.91%	+1.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.20%	-10.83%	+4.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.38%	3.70%	-1.32%

Volatility

GLOF vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Global Equity Factor ETF (GLOF) is 6.12%, while iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a volatility of 7.47%. This indicates that GLOF 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

	GLOF	IWM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.12%	7.47%	-1.35%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.81%	14.47%	-4.66%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.01%	23.18%	-6.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.63%	22.55%	-6.92%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.12%	22.99%	-5.87%