IWM vs. MDY
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY).
IWM and MDY are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IWM is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Russell 2000 Index. It was launched on May 22, 2000. MDY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. It was launched on May 4, 1995. Both IWM and MDY 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
IWM vs. MDY - Performance Comparison
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IWM vs. MDY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
MDY SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF | 2.49% | 7.19% | 13.64% | 16.07% | -13.28% | 24.53% | 13.50% | 25.78% | -11.29% | 15.93% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWM achieves a 0.93% return, which is significantly lower than MDY's 2.49% return. Over the past 10 years, IWM has underperformed MDY with an annualized return of 9.76%, while MDY has yielded a comparatively higher 10.25% annualized return.
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%
MDY
- 1D
- 2.96%
- 1M
- -5.29%
- YTD
- 2.49%
- 6M
- 4.11%
- 1Y
- 17.01%
- 3Y*
- 11.76%
- 5Y*
- 6.34%
- 10Y*
- 10.25%
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IWM vs. MDY - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWM has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is lower than MDY's 0.23% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
IWM vs. MDY — Risk / Return Rank
IWM
MDY
IWM vs. MDY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY). 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.
| IWM | MDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.11 | 0.81 | +0.30 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.66 | 1.28 | +0.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.18 | +0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.82 | 1.23 | +0.60 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.76 | 5.28 | +1.48 |
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
| IWM | MDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.11 | 0.81 | +0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 | 0.32 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.43 | 0.49 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.34 | 0.51 | -0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between IWM and MDY is 0.95, 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
IWM vs. MDY - Dividend Comparison
IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, less than MDY's 1.15% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
MDY SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF | 1.15% | 1.15% | 1.18% | 1.21% | 1.37% | 0.96% | 1.12% | 1.34% | 1.39% | 1.18% | 1.31% | 1.35% |
Drawdowns
IWM vs. MDY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, which is greater than MDY's maximum drawdown of -55.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and MDY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWM | MDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.05% | -55.33% | -3.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.74% | -14.07% | +0.33% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.91% | -24.03% | -7.88% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.13% | -42.22% | +1.09% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.91% | -6.12% | -1.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.83% | -7.06% | -3.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.70% | 3.27% | +0.43% |
Volatility
IWM vs. MDY - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a higher volatility of 7.47% compared to SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) at 6.52%. This indicates that IWM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MDY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWM | MDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.47% | 6.52% | +0.95% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.47% | 11.86% | +2.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.18% | 21.09% | +2.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.55% | 19.78% | +2.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.99% | 21.17% | +1.82% |