HEWJ vs. VOO
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
HEWJ and VOO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. HEWJ is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Japan 100% Hedged to USD Index. It was launched on Jan 31, 2014. VOO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Sep 7, 2010. Both HEWJ and VOO 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
HEWJ vs. VOO - Performance Comparison
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HEWJ vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HEWJ iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF | 9.72% | 30.25% | 24.80% | 36.21% | -4.39% | 12.79% | 10.29% | 20.79% | -14.68% | 21.47% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | -3.66% | 17.82% | 24.98% | 26.32% | -18.17% | 28.79% | 18.32% | 31.37% | -4.50% | 21.77% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HEWJ achieves a 9.72% return, which is significantly higher than VOO's -3.66% return. Over the past 10 years, HEWJ has outperformed VOO with an annualized return of 15.43%, while VOO has yielded a comparatively lower 14.14% annualized return.
HEWJ
- 1D
- 2.74%
- 1M
- -2.87%
- YTD
- 9.72%
- 6M
- 23.14%
- 1Y
- 46.23%
- 3Y*
- 30.07%
- 5Y*
- 19.05%
- 10Y*
- 15.43%
VOO
- 1D
- 0.79%
- 1M
- -4.29%
- YTD
- -3.66%
- 6M
- -1.41%
- 1Y
- 18.17%
- 3Y*
- 18.58%
- 5Y*
- 11.93%
- 10Y*
- 14.14%
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HEWJ vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison
HEWJ has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than VOO's 0.03% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
HEWJ vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank
HEWJ
VOO
HEWJ vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). 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.
| HEWJ | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.94 | 1.01 | +0.93 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.63 | 1.53 | +1.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.23 | +0.15 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.77 | 1.55 | +2.22 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.33 | 7.31 | +7.02 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| HEWJ | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.94 | 1.01 | +0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.01 | 0.71 | +0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.77 | 0.79 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.66 | 0.83 | -0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between HEWJ and VOO is 0.67, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
HEWJ vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison
HEWJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.65%, more than VOO's 1.18% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HEWJ iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF | 4.65% | 5.10% | 2.20% | 2.02% | 47.68% | 2.03% | 1.20% | 2.78% | 1.37% | 1.21% | 1.88% | 3.25% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 1.18% | 1.13% | 1.24% | 1.46% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.88% | 2.06% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Drawdowns
HEWJ vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HEWJ drawdown since its inception was -31.53%, smaller than the maximum VOO drawdown of -33.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HEWJ and VOO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HEWJ | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -31.53% | -33.99% | +2.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.99% | -11.98% | -0.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.90% | -24.52% | +3.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -31.53% | -33.99% | +2.46% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.49% | -5.55% | +1.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.68% | -3.72% | -2.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.16% | 2.55% | +0.61% |
Volatility
HEWJ vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison
iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ) has a higher volatility of 7.97% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) at 5.34%. This indicates that HEWJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HEWJ | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.97% | 5.34% | +2.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.91% | 9.47% | +5.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.99% | 18.11% | +5.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.02% | 16.82% | +2.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.00% | 17.99% | +2.01% |