IYC vs. IYK

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

IYC (iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF) and IYK (iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IYC is a Consumer Discretionary Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Services Index, while IYK is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Consumer Staples RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IYC returned 11.41%/yr vs 9.29%/yr for IYK. Their 0.64 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. Both charge a 0.38% expense ratio.

Performance

IYC vs. IYK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC) and iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IYC achieves a -1.67% return, which is significantly lower than IYK's 12.81% return. Over the past 10 years, IYC has outperformed IYK with an annualized return of 11.41%, while IYK has yielded a comparatively lower 9.29% annualized return.

IYC

• 1D: 1.51%
• 1M: -0.91%
• 6M: -2.33%
• YTD: -1.67%
• 1Y: 3.59%
• 3Y*: 12.46%
• 5Y*: 5.91%
• 10Y*: 11.41%
• ALL TIME*: 8.42%

IYK

• 1D: -0.82%
• 1M: -0.12%
• 6M: 5.63%
• YTD: 12.81%
• 1Y: 11.76%
• 3Y*: 6.05%
• 5Y*: 6.33%
• 10Y*: 9.29%
• ALL TIME*: 8.87%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	$10.52M	$10.35M	$12.04M
IYK iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF	$14.04M	$13.81M	$20.83M

IYC vs. IYK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	-1.67%	7.85%	27.54%	34.03%	-31.78%	19.65%	24.58%	27.36%	1.76%	19.87%
IYK iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF	12.81%	4.78%	5.27%	-2.84%	3.57%	17.32%	32.65%	28.12%	-13.84%	16.53%

Correlation

The correlation between IYC and IYK is 0.19, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.32
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.50
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 28, 2000	0.64

Over the past year, the correlation between IYC and IYK has dropped to 0.19 - well below their long-term average of 0.64, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

IYC vs. IYK - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IYC	IYK
Consumer Cyclical	66.8%	1.4%
Consumer Defensive	11.5%	82.6%
Communication Services	10.6%	-
Technology	7.0%	-
Industrials	3.9%	0.1%
Energy	0.1%	-
Basic Materials	-	2.7%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	13.3%
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IYC vs. IYK — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

IYC

IYC Risk / Return Rank: 13
IYC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
IYC Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
IYC Omega Ratio Rank: 12
IYC Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
IYC Martin Ratio Rank: 14

IYK

IYK Risk / Return Rank: 33
IYK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
IYK Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
IYK Omega Ratio Rank: 33
IYK Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
IYK Martin Ratio Rank: 27

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

IYC vs. IYK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC) and iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK). 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.

	IYC	IYK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.11	0.88	-0.77
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.26	1.36	-1.10
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.16	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.14	1.14	-1.00
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.36	2.29	-1.93

IYC vs. IYK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IYC Sharpe Ratio is 0.11, which is lower than the IYK Sharpe Ratio of 0.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IYC and IYK, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

IYC vs. IYK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IYC drawdown since its inception was -53.10%, which is greater than IYK's maximum drawdown of -42.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYC and IYK.

Drawdown Indicators

	IYC	IYK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-53.10%	-42.64%	-10.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.97%	-10.68%	-1.29%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.62%	-11.32%	-10.30%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.90%	-15.05%	-20.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.90%	-33.19%	-2.71%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.38%	-3.01%	-2.37%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.93%	-5.06%	-4.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.64%	5.30%	-0.66%

Volatility

IYC vs. IYK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC) is 5.21%, while iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) has a volatility of 6.13%. This indicates that IYC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IYK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IYC	IYK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.21%	6.13%	-0.92%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.93%	11.30%	+0.63%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.28%	13.86%	+1.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.88%	13.30%	+7.58%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.95%	15.60%	+4.35%

IYC vs. IYK - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IYC and IYK have an expense ratio of 0.38%.

Dividends

IYC vs. IYK - Dividend Comparison

IYC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.51%, less than IYK's 2.54% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	0.51%	0.51%	0.47%	0.68%	0.68%	0.39%	0.65%	0.89%	0.90%	0.92%	1.10%	1.03%
IYK iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF	2.54%	2.75%	2.63%	2.74%	2.16%	1.49%	1.42%	2.21%	2.81%	1.74%	2.63%	2.11%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IYC and IYK in my portfolio?

IYC and IYK have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IYC or IYK?

IYK has higher volatility (6.13%) compared to IYC (5.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYC dropped -53.10% vs IYK's -42.64%.

Which ETF is better, IYC or IYK?

On 10-year performance, IYC leads with 11.41% vs 9.29% for IYK. Both ETFs have the same 0.38% expense ratio. On volatility, IYC has been the lower-risk option at 5.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IYC or IYK?

Over the 10-year period, IYC has performed better with a 11.41% return vs 9.29%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IYC or IYK?

IYC and IYK have the same expense ratio: 0.38% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IYC or IYK?

IYK has the higher dividend yield at 2.54%, compared with 0.51% for IYC.

What is the main difference between IYC and IYK?

IYC is categorized as Consumer Discretionary Equities, while IYK is Consumer Staples Equities. IYC tracks Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Services Index, while IYK tracks Russell 1000 Consumer Staples RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IYK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.88 vs 0.11), 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.