IWM vs. LCTU
IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) and LCTU (BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while LCTU is a ESG fund actively managed by BlackRock. IWM is passively managed, while LCTU is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, IWM returned 6.41%/yr vs 12.39%/yr for LCTU. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IWM charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for LCTU.
Performance
IWM vs. LCTU - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWM achieves a 20.19% return, which is significantly higher than LCTU's 9.23% return.
IWM
- 1D
- 0.82%
- 1M
- 6.39%
- YTD
- 20.19%
- 6M
- 17.83%
- 1Y
- 42.91%
- 3Y*
- 17.97%
- 5Y*
- 6.41%
- 10Y*
- 11.40%
LCTU
- 1D
- 1.73%
- 1M
- 2.67%
- YTD
- 9.23%
- 6M
- 9.49%
- 1Y
- 25.98%
- 3Y*
- 19.96%
- 5Y*
- 12.39%
- 10Y*
- —
IWM vs. LCTU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 20.19% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 1.56% |
LCTU BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF | 9.23% | 16.96% | 24.00% | 25.38% | -20.02% | 17.74% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWM and LCTU is 0.81, 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 | 0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 8, 2021 | 0.83 |
The correlation between IWM and LCTU has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
IWM vs. LCTU - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IWM
LCTU
Technology
Industrials
Healthcare
Financial Services
Consumer Cyclical
Real Estate
Energy
Basic Materials
Utilities
Communication Services
Consumer Defensive
Technology
IWM
LCTU
Industrials
IWM
LCTU
Healthcare
IWM
LCTU
Financial Services
IWM
LCTU
Consumer Cyclical
IWM
LCTU
Real Estate
IWM
LCTU
Energy
IWM
LCTU
Basic Materials
IWM
LCTU
Utilities
IWM
LCTU
Communication Services
IWM
LCTU
Consumer Defensive
IWM
LCTU
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
IWM vs. LCTU — Risk / Return Rank
IWM
LCTU
IWM vs. LCTU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU). 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.
| IWM | LCTU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.15 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.19 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.37 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.91 | 2.78 | +1.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.84 | 12.10 | +1.74 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
IWM vs. LCTU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, which is greater than LCTU's maximum drawdown of -25.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and LCTU.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| IWM | LCTU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.05% | -25.93% | -33.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.03% | -9.38% | -1.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.50% | -19.83% | -7.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.91% | -25.93% | -5.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.13% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.57% | +0.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.75% | -6.29% | -4.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 2.15% | +0.96% |
Volatility
IWM vs. LCTU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a higher volatility of 7.17% compared to BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) at 4.49%. This indicates that IWM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than LCTU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| IWM | LCTU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.17% | 4.49% | +2.68% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.27% | 10.05% | +4.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.67% | 12.76% | +6.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.62% | 17.23% | +5.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.09% | 17.04% | +6.05% |
IWM vs. LCTU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWM has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than LCTU's 0.15% 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
IWM vs. LCTU - Dividend Comparison
IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.10%, less than LCTU's 1.15% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 1.10% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
LCTU BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF | 1.15% | 1.02% | 1.27% | 1.46% | 1.63% | 2.20% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWM and LCTU have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWM has higher volatility (7.17%) compared to LCTU (4.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWM dropped -59.05% vs LCTU's -25.93%.
On 5-year performance, LCTU leads with 12.39% vs 6.41% for IWM. On fees, LCTU is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, LCTU has been the lower-risk option at 4.49%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, LCTU has performed better with a 12.39% return vs 6.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
LCTU is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IWM.
LCTU has the higher dividend yield at 1.15%, compared with 1.10% for IWM.
IWM is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while LCTU is ESG. They also come from different issuers: iShares and BlackRock. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for IWM and 0.15% for LCTU.
IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs 2.05), 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.
Find the right allocation for IWM and LCTU
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer