IWM vs. SHV
IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) and SHV (iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while SHV is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE Short US Treasury Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IWM returned 11.32%/yr vs 2.24%/yr for SHV. At a correlation of -0.06, they often move in opposite directions. IWM charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SHV.
Performance
IWM vs. SHV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWM achieves a 20.58% return, which is significantly higher than SHV's 1.59% return. Over the past 10 years, IWM has outperformed SHV with an annualized return of 11.32%, while SHV has yielded a comparatively lower 2.24% annualized return.
IWM
- 1D
- 1.97%
- 1M
- 4.89%
- YTD
- 20.58%
- 6M
- 18.35%
- 1Y
- 42.76%
- 3Y*
- 18.09%
- 5Y*
- 7.21%
- 10Y*
- 11.32%
SHV
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 1.59%
- 6M
- 1.71%
- 1Y
- 3.84%
- 3Y*
- 4.62%
- 5Y*
- 3.35%
- 10Y*
- 2.24%
IWM vs. SHV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 20.58% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
SHV iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 1.59% | 4.21% | 5.12% | 5.04% | 0.94% | -0.10% | 0.81% | 2.36% | 1.72% | 0.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWM and SHV is 0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 11, 2007 | -0.06 |
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Return for Risk
IWM vs. SHV — Risk / Return Rank
IWM
SHV
IWM vs. SHV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHV). 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 | SHV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -16.65 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -99.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 39.19 | -37.83 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.87 | 143.22 | -139.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.69 | 1,651.41 | -1,637.72 |
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Drawdowns
IWM vs. SHV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, which is greater than SHV's maximum drawdown of -0.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and SHV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWM | SHV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.05% | -0.45% | -58.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.03% | -0.03% | -11.00% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.50% | -0.03% | -27.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.91% | -0.39% | -31.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.13% | -0.45% | -40.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.75% | -0.03% | -10.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 0.00% | +3.11% |
Volatility
IWM vs. SHV - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a higher volatility of 6.81% compared to iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHV) at 0.07%. This indicates that IWM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SHV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWM | SHV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.81% | 0.07% | +6.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.31% | 0.13% | +14.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.70% | 0.21% | +19.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.61% | 0.29% | +22.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.09% | 0.28% | +22.81% |
IWM vs. SHV - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWM has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than SHV'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. SHV - Dividend Comparison
IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.90%, less than SHV's 3.83% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 0.90% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
SHV iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.83% | 4.09% | 5.02% | 4.73% | 1.39% | 0.00% | 0.74% | 2.19% | 1.66% | 0.72% | 0.34% | 0.03% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWM and SHV have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWM has higher volatility (6.81%) compared to SHV (0.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWM dropped -59.05% vs SHV's -0.45%.
On 10-year performance, IWM leads with 11.32% vs 2.24% for SHV. On fees, SHV is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, SHV has been the lower-risk option at 0.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IWM has performed better with a 11.32% return vs 2.24%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SHV is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IWM.
SHV has the higher dividend yield at 3.83%, compared with 0.90% for IWM.
IWM is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while SHV is Government Bonds. IWM tracks Russell 2000 Index, while SHV tracks ICE Short US Treasury Securities Index. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for IWM and 0.15% for SHV.
SHV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (18.81 vs 2.17), 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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