IWR vs. MSFRX
IWR (iShares Russell Midcap ETF) and MSFRX (MFS Total Return Fund) are both funds - IWR is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell Midcap Index, while MSFRX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by MFS. Over the past 10 years, IWR returned 11.41%/yr vs 7.96%/yr for MSFRX. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IWR charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.72%/yr for MSFRX.
Performance
IWR vs. MSFRX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWR achieves a 10.71% return, which is significantly higher than MSFRX's 3.29% return. Over the past 10 years, IWR has outperformed MSFRX with an annualized return of 11.41%, while MSFRX has yielded a comparatively lower 7.96% annualized return.
IWR
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 1.05%
- YTD
- 10.71%
- 6M
- 10.50%
- 1Y
- 19.23%
- 3Y*
- 16.25%
- 5Y*
- 7.68%
- 10Y*
- 11.41%
MSFRX
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 1.08%
- YTD
- 3.29%
- 6M
- 4.86%
- 1Y
- 11.70%
- 3Y*
- 12.50%
- 5Y*
- 6.28%
- 10Y*
- 7.96%
IWR vs. MSFRX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWR iShares Russell Midcap ETF | 10.71% | 10.37% | 15.21% | 17.05% | -17.48% | 22.44% | 16.93% | 30.23% | -9.10% | 18.25% |
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 3.29% | 10.98% | 14.73% | 10.34% | -9.70% | 14.00% | 9.72% | 20.20% | -5.80% | 12.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWR and MSFRX is 0.82, 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 | 0.82 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 23, 2001 | 0.89 |
The correlation between IWR and MSFRX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IWR vs. MSFRX — Risk / Return Rank
IWR
MSFRX
IWR vs. MSFRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell Midcap ETF (IWR) and MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX). 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.
| IWR | MSFRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.33 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.37 | 2.45 | -0.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.09 | 7.28 | +1.82 |
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
| IWR | MSFRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.43 | 1.79 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.42 | 0.65 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 | 0.76 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.49 | 0.65 | -0.16 |
Drawdowns
IWR vs. MSFRX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWR drawdown since its inception was -58.78%, which is greater than MSFRX's maximum drawdown of -37.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWR and MSFRX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWR | MSFRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.78% | -37.28% | -21.50% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.17% | -4.96% | -3.21% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.09% | -8.56% | -12.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.18% | -17.02% | -9.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.59% | -24.70% | -15.89% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.04% | -1.86% | -0.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.80% | -5.00% | -2.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.12% | 1.67% | +0.45% |
Volatility
IWR vs. MSFRX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell Midcap ETF (IWR) has a higher volatility of 3.59% compared to MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX) at 1.78%. This indicates that IWR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSFRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWR | MSFRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.59% | 1.78% | +1.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.06% | 4.93% | +5.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.54% | 6.78% | +6.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.25% | 9.74% | +8.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.38% | 10.45% | +8.93% |
IWR vs. MSFRX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWR has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is lower than MSFRX's 0.72% expense ratio.
Dividends
IWR vs. MSFRX - Dividend Comparison
IWR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, less than MSFRX's 8.77% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWR iShares Russell Midcap ETF | 1.17% | 1.29% | 1.27% | 1.43% | 1.59% | 1.04% | 1.28% | 1.43% | 1.98% | 1.52% | 1.72% | 1.59% |
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 8.77% | 8.93% | 14.87% | 6.19% | 5.38% | 8.33% | 6.93% | 3.22% | 4.99% | 5.67% | 3.54% | 5.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWR and MSFRX have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWR has higher volatility (3.59%) compared to MSFRX (1.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWR dropped -58.78% vs MSFRX's -37.28%.
MSFRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.79 vs 1.43), 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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