IWM vs. USXF
IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) and USXF (iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while USXF is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Choice ESG Screened Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IWM returned 6.41%/yr vs 15.64%/yr for USXF. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IWM charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for USXF.
Performance
IWM vs. USXF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with IWM having a 20.19% return and USXF slightly higher at 20.37%.
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%
USXF
- 1D
- 2.44%
- 1M
- 5.10%
- YTD
- 20.37%
- 6M
- 21.61%
- 1Y
- 36.09%
- 3Y*
- 25.87%
- 5Y*
- 15.64%
- 10Y*
- —
IWM vs. USXF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 20.19% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 39.26% |
USXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF | 20.37% | 16.97% | 26.16% | 31.65% | -21.20% | 27.14% | 23.07% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWM and USXF is 0.75, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 18, 2020 | 0.77 |
The correlation between IWM and USXF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.
IWM vs. USXF - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IWM
USXF
Technology
Industrials
Healthcare
Financial Services
Consumer Cyclical
Real Estate
Energy
Basic Materials
Utilities
Communication Services
Consumer Defensive
Technology
IWM
USXF
Industrials
IWM
USXF
Healthcare
IWM
USXF
Financial Services
IWM
USXF
Consumer Cyclical
IWM
USXF
Real Estate
IWM
USXF
Energy
IWM
USXF
Basic Materials
IWM
USXF
Utilities
IWM
USXF
Communication Services
IWM
USXF
Consumer Defensive
IWM
USXF
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Return for Risk
IWM vs. USXF — Risk / Return Rank
IWM
USXF
IWM vs. USXF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF (USXF). 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 | USXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.37 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.91 | 3.56 | +0.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.84 | 13.71 | +0.13 |
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Drawdowns
IWM vs. USXF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, which is greater than USXF's maximum drawdown of -29.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and USXF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWM | USXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.05% | -29.54% | -29.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.03% | -10.19% | -0.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.50% | -20.93% | -6.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.91% | -29.54% | -2.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.13% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.83% | +0.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.75% | -6.40% | -4.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 2.64% | +0.47% |
Volatility
IWM vs. USXF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is 7.17%, while iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF (USXF) has a volatility of 7.98%. This indicates that IWM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USXF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWM | USXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.17% | 7.98% | -0.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.27% | 14.39% | -0.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.67% | 17.29% | +2.38% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.62% | 19.76% | +2.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.09% | 19.31% | +3.78% |
IWM vs. USXF - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWM has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than USXF's 0.10% 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. USXF - Dividend Comparison
IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.10%, more than USXF's 0.98% 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% |
USXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF | 0.98% | 0.93% | 1.00% | 1.21% | 1.39% | 0.86% | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWM and USXF have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USXF has higher volatility (7.98%) compared to IWM (7.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWM dropped -59.05% vs USXF's -29.54%.
On 5-year performance, USXF leads with 15.64% vs 6.41% for IWM. On fees, USXF is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, IWM has been the lower-risk option at 7.17%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USXF has performed better with a 15.64% return vs 6.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USXF is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IWM.
IWM has the higher dividend yield at 1.10%, compared with 0.98% for USXF.
IWM is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while USXF is Large Cap Growth Equities. IWM tracks Russell 2000 Index, while USXF tracks MSCI USA Choice ESG Screened Index. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for IWM and 0.10% for USXF.
IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs 2.10), 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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