MEAR vs. IWM
MEAR (iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF) and IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MEAR is a Municipal Bonds fund actively managed by iShares, while IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. MEAR is actively managed, while IWM is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, MEAR returned 1.78%/yr vs 10.93%/yr for IWM. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MEAR charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IWM.
Performance
MEAR vs. IWM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MEAR achieves a 1.06% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 17.07% return. Over the past 10 years, MEAR has underperformed IWM with an annualized return of 1.78%, while IWM has yielded a comparatively higher 10.93% annualized return.
MEAR
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 1.06%
- 6M
- 1.30%
- 1Y
- 3.29%
- 3Y*
- 3.58%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 1.78%
IWM
- 1D
- -1.37%
- 1M
- 3.52%
- YTD
- 17.07%
- 6M
- 15.83%
- 1Y
- 39.10%
- 3Y*
- 17.88%
- 5Y*
- 6.11%
- 10Y*
- 10.93%
MEAR vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 1.06% | 3.76% | 3.40% | 3.93% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 1.18% | 1.91% | 1.63% | 1.12% |
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 17.07% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between MEAR and IWM is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 6, 2015 | 0.05 |
The correlation between MEAR and IWM shifts across timeframes, from 0.05 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MEAR vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank
MEAR
IWM
MEAR vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). 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.
| MEAR | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.81 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.91 | 1.34 | +0.57 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 7.07 | 3.56 | +3.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 28.99 | 12.64 | +16.35 |
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
| MEAR | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.86 | 2.05 | +1.81 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 2.48 | 0.27 | +2.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.18 | 0.48 | +0.70 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.11 | 0.37 | +0.75 |
Drawdowns
MEAR vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MEAR drawdown since its inception was -2.68%, smaller than the maximum IWM drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MEAR and IWM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MEAR | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -2.68% | -59.05% | +56.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.47% | -11.03% | +10.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.86% | -27.50% | +26.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.12% | -31.91% | +30.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -2.68% | -41.13% | +38.45% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.49% | +1.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.19% | -10.77% | +10.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.11% | 3.10% | -2.99% |
Volatility
MEAR vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) is 0.24%, while iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a volatility of 5.75%. This indicates that MEAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IWM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MEAR | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.24% | 5.75% | -5.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.61% | 13.53% | -12.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86% | 19.20% | -18.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.98% | 22.52% | -21.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.52% | 23.04% | -21.52% |
MEAR vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison
MEAR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than IWM's 0.19% 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
MEAR vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison
MEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, more than IWM's 0.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 0.88% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 2.84% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 3.30% | 0.88% | 0.30% | 0.90% | 1.57% | 1.36% | 1.01% | 0.81% | 0.53% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MEAR and IWM have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWM has higher volatility (5.75%) compared to MEAR (0.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MEAR dropped -2.68% vs IWM's -59.05%.
On 10-year performance, IWM leads with 10.93% vs 1.78% for MEAR. On fees, IWM is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, MEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IWM has performed better with a 10.93% return vs 1.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IWM is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for MEAR.
MEAR has the higher dividend yield at 2.84%, compared with 0.88% for IWM.
MEAR is categorized as Municipal Bonds, while IWM is Small Cap Blend Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for MEAR and 0.19% for IWM.
MEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.86 vs 2.05), 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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