IWF vs. VFINX
IWF (iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF) and VFINX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares) are both funds - IWF is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Growth Index, while VFINX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IWF returned 18.15%/yr vs 15.00%/yr for VFINX. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IWF charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for VFINX.
Performance
IWF vs. VFINX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWF achieves a 2.83% return, which is significantly lower than VFINX's 6.66% return. Over the past 10 years, IWF has outperformed VFINX with an annualized return of 18.15%, while VFINX has yielded a comparatively lower 15.00% annualized return.
IWF
- 1D
- 1.57%
- 1M
- -1.44%
- YTD
- 2.83%
- 6M
- 1.71%
- 1Y
- 19.30%
- 3Y*
- 22.57%
- 5Y*
- 13.90%
- 10Y*
- 18.15%
VFINX
- 1D
- -1.62%
- 1M
- -1.70%
- YTD
- 6.66%
- 6M
- 5.86%
- 1Y
- 21.97%
- 3Y*
- 20.58%
- 5Y*
- 12.79%
- 10Y*
- 15.00%
IWF vs. VFINX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 2.83% | 18.33% | 33.12% | 42.59% | -29.31% | 27.43% | 38.25% | 35.86% | -1.67% | 29.95% |
VFINX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares | 6.66% | 17.71% | 24.84% | 26.12% | -18.24% | 28.53% | 18.20% | 31.33% | -4.55% | 21.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWF and VFINX is 0.92, 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 | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2000 | 0.94 |
The correlation between IWF and VFINX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IWF vs. VFINX — Risk / Return Rank
IWF
VFINX
IWF vs. VFINX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX). 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.
| IWF | VFINX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.56 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.72 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.32 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 2.44 | -1.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.93 | 11.11 | -7.18 |
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Drawdowns
IWF vs. VFINX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWF drawdown since its inception was -64.25%, which is greater than VFINX's maximum drawdown of -55.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWF and VFINX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWF | VFINX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -64.25% | -55.25% | -9.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.27% | -8.92% | -7.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.36% | -18.76% | -4.60% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.72% | -24.59% | -8.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.72% | -33.83% | +1.11% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.59% | -4.46% | -1.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.06% | -8.28% | -13.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.92% | 1.95% | +2.97% |
Volatility
IWF vs. VFINX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) has a higher volatility of 5.43% compared to Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX) at 4.04%. This indicates that IWF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFINX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWF | VFINX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.43% | 4.04% | +1.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.40% | 9.56% | +2.84% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.96% | 12.26% | +3.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.47% | 16.96% | +4.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.01% | 18.09% | +2.92% |
IWF vs. VFINX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWF has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than VFINX's 0.14% 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%.
Dividends
IWF vs. VFINX - Dividend Comparison
IWF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%, less than VFINX's 0.97% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 0.35% | 0.36% | 0.46% | 0.67% | 0.91% | 0.49% | 0.66% | 0.99% | 1.27% | 1.10% | 1.43% | 1.37% |
VFINX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares | 0.97% | 1.02% | 1.14% | 1.36% | 1.57% | 1.15% | 1.45% | 1.77% | 1.94% | 1.69% | 1.92% | 1.99% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, IWF and VFINX 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.
IWF has higher volatility (5.43%) compared to VFINX (4.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWF dropped -64.25% vs VFINX's -55.25%.
VFINX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.77 vs 1.21), 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.
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