IYM vs. VWO
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO).
IYM and VWO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IYM is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Basic Materials Index. It was launched on Jun 20, 2000. VWO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Emerging Index. It was launched on Mar 4, 2005. Both IYM and VWO 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
IYM vs. VWO - Performance Comparison
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IYM vs. VWO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 16.42% | 20.41% | -4.54% | 12.83% | -9.15% | 25.62% | 17.87% | 19.22% | -16.63% | 24.83% |
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 0.84% | 25.60% | 10.59% | 9.25% | -17.98% | 1.26% | 15.17% | 20.75% | -14.76% | 31.49% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IYM achieves a 16.42% return, which is significantly higher than VWO's 0.84% return. Over the past 10 years, IYM has outperformed VWO with an annualized return of 11.13%, while VWO has yielded a comparatively lower 7.66% annualized return.
IYM
- 1D
- 1.61%
- 1M
- -5.46%
- YTD
- 16.42%
- 6M
- 22.01%
- 1Y
- 34.61%
- 3Y*
- 12.30%
- 5Y*
- 8.93%
- 10Y*
- 11.13%
VWO
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -5.29%
- YTD
- 0.84%
- 6M
- 1.39%
- 1Y
- 22.71%
- 3Y*
- 13.84%
- 5Y*
- 3.90%
- 10Y*
- 7.66%
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IYM vs. VWO - Expense Ratio Comparison
IYM has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than VWO's 0.08% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IYM vs. VWO — Risk / Return Rank
IYM
VWO
IYM vs. VWO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO). 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.
| IYM | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.55 | 1.28 | +0.27 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.15 | 1.80 | +0.35 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.26 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.38 | 1.89 | +0.49 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.81 | 7.18 | +1.63 |
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
| IYM | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.55 | 1.28 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 | 0.23 | +0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | 0.40 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.25 | +0.08 |
Correlation
The correlation between IYM and VWO is 0.71, 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
IYM vs. VWO - Dividend Comparison
IYM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.30%, less than VWO's 2.68% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYM iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 1.30% | 1.51% | 1.65% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 1.48% | 1.39% | 2.08% | 1.68% | 1.43% | 1.47% | 2.04% |
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 2.68% | 2.79% | 3.20% | 3.52% | 4.11% | 2.63% | 1.91% | 3.23% | 2.88% | 2.30% | 2.52% | 3.26% |
Drawdowns
IYM vs. VWO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYM drawdown since its inception was -67.78%, roughly equal to the maximum VWO drawdown of -67.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYM and VWO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYM | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.78% | -67.68% | -0.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.54% | -12.23% | -2.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.94% | -32.80% | +2.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.76% | -36.39% | -6.37% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.46% | -8.13% | +2.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.51% | -15.93% | +4.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.93% | 3.22% | +0.71% |
Volatility
IYM vs. VWO - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (IYM) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) have volatilities of 7.07% and 7.41%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IYM | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.07% | 7.41% | -0.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.93% | 12.26% | +2.67% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.42% | 17.83% | +4.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.33% | 17.21% | +3.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.66% | 19.18% | +2.48% |