IWV vs. SMMD
IWV (iShares Russell 3000 ETF) and SMMD (iShares Russell 2500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWV is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Index, while SMMD is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 2500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IWV returned 12.07%/yr vs 7.65%/yr for SMMD. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IWV charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SMMD.
Performance
IWV vs. SMMD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWV achieves a 9.30% return, which is significantly lower than SMMD's 20.07% return.
IWV
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.32%
- YTD
- 9.30%
- 6M
- 9.38%
- 1Y
- 25.70%
- 3Y*
- 20.32%
- 5Y*
- 12.07%
- 10Y*
- 14.84%
SMMD
- 1D
- 0.98%
- 1M
- 3.73%
- YTD
- 20.07%
- 6M
- 17.82%
- 1Y
- 38.70%
- 3Y*
- 17.74%
- 5Y*
- 7.65%
- 10Y*
- —
IWV vs. SMMD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWV iShares Russell 3000 ETF | 9.30% | 16.96% | 23.49% | 25.82% | -19.28% | 25.54% | 20.55% | 30.66% | -5.43% | 11.88% |
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 20.07% | 11.72% | 11.87% | 17.71% | -18.53% | 18.30% | 19.98% | 28.01% | -10.58% | 11.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWV and SMMD is 0.84, 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 | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2017 | 0.85 |
The correlation between IWV and SMMD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
IWV vs. SMMD - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IWV
SMMD
Technology
Financial Services
Communication Services
Consumer Cyclical
Industrials
Healthcare
Consumer Defensive
Energy
Real Estate
Utilities
Basic Materials
Technology
IWV
SMMD
Financial Services
IWV
SMMD
Communication Services
IWV
SMMD
Consumer Cyclical
IWV
SMMD
Industrials
IWV
SMMD
Healthcare
IWV
SMMD
Consumer Defensive
IWV
SMMD
Energy
IWV
SMMD
Real Estate
IWV
SMMD
Utilities
IWV
SMMD
Basic Materials
IWV
SMMD
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Return for Risk
IWV vs. SMMD — Risk / Return Rank
IWV
SMMD
IWV vs. SMMD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) and iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD). 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.
| IWV | SMMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.35 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.74 | 3.78 | -1.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.28 | 14.33 | -2.05 |
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Drawdowns
IWV vs. SMMD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWV drawdown since its inception was -55.61%, which is greater than SMMD's maximum drawdown of -41.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWV and SMMD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWV | SMMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.61% | -41.06% | -14.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.89% | -9.66% | +0.77% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.28% | -25.50% | +6.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.11% | -28.26% | +3.15% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.22% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.09% | 0.00% | -2.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.58% | -8.35% | -2.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.98% | 2.55% | -0.57% |
Volatility
IWV vs. SMMD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) is 4.44%, while iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) has a volatility of 6.26%. This indicates that IWV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SMMD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWV | SMMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.44% | 6.26% | -1.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.75% | 13.30% | -3.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.57% | 17.74% | -5.17% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.30% | 20.91% | -3.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.43% | 22.38% | -3.95% |
IWV vs. SMMD - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWV has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than SMMD'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
IWV vs. SMMD - Dividend Comparison
IWV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%, less than SMMD's 1.04% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWV iShares Russell 3000 ETF | 0.87% | 0.96% | 1.08% | 1.30% | 1.56% | 1.04% | 1.30% | 1.69% | 1.97% | 1.58% | 1.79% | 1.99% |
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 1.04% | 1.28% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.79% | 1.12% | 1.31% | 1.50% | 2.45% | 0.68% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWV and SMMD have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMMD has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to IWV (4.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWV dropped -55.61% vs SMMD's -41.06%.
On 5-year performance, IWV leads with 12.07% vs 7.65% for SMMD. On fees, SMMD is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IWV has been the lower-risk option at 4.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IWV has performed better with a 12.07% return vs 7.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SMMD is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for IWV.
SMMD has the higher dividend yield at 1.04%, compared with 0.87% for IWV.
IWV is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SMMD is Small Cap Growth Equities. IWV tracks Russell 3000 Index, while SMMD tracks Russell 2500 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for IWV and 0.15% for SMMD.
SMMD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 1.94), 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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