IWS vs. DGRO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IWS (iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF) and DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWS is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Russell Midcap Value Index, while DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IWS returned 10.23%/yr vs 13.30%/yr for DGRO. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IWS charges 0.23%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for DGRO.

Performance

IWS vs. DGRO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IWS achieves a 15.06% return, which is significantly higher than DGRO's 8.76% return. Over the past 10 years, IWS has underperformed DGRO with an annualized return of 10.23%, while DGRO has yielded a comparatively higher 13.30% annualized return.

IWS

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 3.74%
• YTD: 15.06%
• 6M: 15.13%
• 1Y: 27.01%
• 3Y*: 17.40%
• 5Y*: 8.37%
• 10Y*: 10.23%

DGRO

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: 3.14%
• YTD: 8.76%
• 6M: 8.75%
• 1Y: 22.54%
• 3Y*: 16.99%
• 5Y*: 10.54%
• 10Y*: 13.30%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IWS vs. DGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IWS iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF	15.06%	10.82%	12.91%	12.52%	-12.29%	28.10%	4.83%	26.73%	-12.43%	13.14%
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	8.76%	15.69%	16.62%	10.47%	-7.91%	26.64%	9.50%	29.87%	-2.38%	23.00%

Correlation

The correlation between IWS and DGRO is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2014	0.91

The correlation between IWS and DGRO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

IWS vs. DGRO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IWS	DGRO
Industrials	16.7%	10.8%
Technology	16.5%	19.4%
Financial Services	14.1%	21.2%
Real Estate	8.6%	-
Consumer Cyclical	8.4%	5.7%
Energy	8.1%	5.6%
Healthcare	7.3%	16.4%
Utilities	7.0%	6.9%
Basic Materials	5.4%	2.5%
Consumer Defensive	4.8%	11.5%
Communication Services	3.1%	0.1%

Return for Risk

IWS vs. DGRO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IWS

IWS Risk / Return Rank: 65
IWS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
IWS Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
IWS Omega Ratio Rank: 58
IWS Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
IWS Martin Ratio Rank: 72

DGRO

DGRO Risk / Return Rank: 71
DGRO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
DGRO Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
DGRO Omega Ratio Rank: 70
DGRO Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
DGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 71

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IWS vs. DGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). 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.

	IWS	DGRO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.06	2.39	-0.33
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.95	3.49	-0.54
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.43	-0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.60	3.50	+0.10
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.59	13.52	+0.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IWS vs. DGRO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IWS Sharpe Ratio is 2.06, which is comparable to the DGRO Sharpe Ratio of 2.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IWS and DGRO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IWS	DGRO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.06	2.39	-0.33
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49	0.77	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	0.80	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.76	-0.34

Drawdowns

IWS vs. DGRO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IWS drawdown since its inception was -62.40%, which is greater than DGRO's maximum drawdown of -35.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWS and DGRO.

Drawdown Indicators

	IWS	DGRO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.40%	-35.10%	-27.30%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.53%	-6.47%	-1.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.57%	-14.03%	-6.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.23%	-19.31%	-1.92%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.83%	-35.10%	-8.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.04%	-0.28%	+0.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.02%	-3.44%	-4.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.99%	1.67%	+0.32%

Volatility

IWS vs. DGRO - Volatility Comparison

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) has a higher volatility of 3.40% compared to iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) at 2.21%. This indicates that IWS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IWS	DGRO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.40%	2.21%	+1.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.57%	6.91%	+2.66%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.19%	9.48%	+3.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.30%	13.82%	+3.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.36%	16.62%	+2.74%

IWS vs. DGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison

IWS has a 0.23% expense ratio, which is higher than DGRO's 0.08% 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

IWS vs. DGRO - Dividend Comparison

IWS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.34%, less than DGRO's 1.96% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	1.96%	2.09%	2.26%	2.45%	2.34%	1.93%	2.30%	2.21%	2.44%	2.03%	2.27%	2.52%
IWS iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF	1.34%	1.53%	1.50%	1.76%	1.93%	1.39%	1.87%	1.97%	2.53%	1.96%	2.10%	2.14%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IWS and DGRO in my portfolio?

IWS and DGRO have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IWS or DGRO?

IWS has higher volatility (3.40%) compared to DGRO (2.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWS dropped -62.40% vs DGRO's -35.10%.

Which ETF is better, IWS or DGRO?

On 10-year performance, DGRO leads with 13.30% vs 10.23% for IWS. On fees, DGRO is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, DGRO has been the lower-risk option at 2.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IWS or DGRO?

Over the 10-year period, DGRO has performed better with a 13.30% return vs 10.23%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IWS or DGRO?

DGRO is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.23% for IWS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IWS or DGRO?

DGRO has the higher dividend yield at 1.96%, compared with 1.34% for IWS.

What is the main difference between IWS and DGRO?

IWS is categorized as Mid Cap Value Equities, while DGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. IWS tracks Russell Midcap Value Index, while DGRO tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. Their fees differ too: 0.23% for IWS and 0.08% for DGRO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.39 vs 2.06), 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.