IWO vs. FSGS
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) and First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF (FSGS).
IWO and FSGS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IWO is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Russell 2000 Growth Index. It was launched on Jul 24, 2000. FSGS is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the SMID Growth Strength Index. It was launched on Jun 20, 2017. Both IWO and FSGS 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
IWO vs. FSGS - Performance Comparison
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IWO vs. FSGS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWO iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF | -2.82% | 12.90% | 15.04% | 18.51% | -26.27% | 2.54% | 34.68% | 28.48% | -9.43% | 11.18% |
FSGS First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF | -4.02% | 2.41% | 6.38% | 15.98% | -13.17% | 25.56% | 10.26% | 21.31% | -11.92% | 10.39% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWO achieves a -2.82% return, which is significantly higher than FSGS's -4.02% return.
IWO
- 1D
- 4.25%
- 1M
- -6.37%
- YTD
- -2.82%
- 6M
- -1.70%
- 1Y
- 23.40%
- 3Y*
- 12.18%
- 5Y*
- 1.22%
- 10Y*
- 9.67%
FSGS
- 1D
- 2.68%
- 1M
- -4.80%
- YTD
- -4.02%
- 6M
- -6.45%
- 1Y
- 6.83%
- 3Y*
- 4.89%
- 5Y*
- 2.15%
- 10Y*
- —
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IWO vs. FSGS - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWO has a 0.24% expense ratio, which is lower than FSGS's 0.60% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IWO vs. FSGS — Risk / Return Rank
IWO
FSGS
IWO vs. FSGS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) and First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF (FSGS). 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.
| IWO | FSGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.93 | 0.34 | +0.59 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.44 | 0.66 | +0.78 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.08 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.51 | 0.57 | +0.94 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.11 | 1.72 | +3.39 |
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
| IWO | FSGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.93 | 0.34 | +0.59 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.11 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.28 | -0.02 |
Correlation
The correlation between IWO and FSGS is 0.78, 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
IWO vs. FSGS - Dividend Comparison
IWO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.48%, while FSGS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWO iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF | 0.48% | 0.56% | 0.80% | 0.73% | 0.73% | 0.32% | 0.44% | 0.71% | 0.76% | 0.73% | 0.97% | 0.89% |
FSGS First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 2.71% | 2.29% | 1.95% | 1.35% | 1.32% | 1.77% | 2.13% | 1.15% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
IWO vs. FSGS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWO drawdown since its inception was -60.11%, which is greater than FSGS's maximum drawdown of -43.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWO and FSGS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWO | FSGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.11% | -43.26% | -16.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.87% | -11.84% | -3.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.51% | -24.08% | -16.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.02% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.25% | -9.71% | -1.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.80% | -8.08% | -8.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.39% | 3.89% | +0.50% |
Volatility
IWO vs. FSGS - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) has a higher volatility of 8.73% compared to First Trust SMID Growth Strength ETF (FSGS) at 5.40%. This indicates that IWO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FSGS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWO | FSGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.73% | 5.40% | +3.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.53% | 11.33% | +5.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.23% | 19.90% | +5.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.47% | 20.16% | +4.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.06% | 22.95% | +1.11% |