PFF vs. IWM
PFF (iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF) and IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PFF is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, while IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFF returned 3.21%/yr vs 11.58%/yr for IWM. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. PFF charges 0.46%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IWM.
Performance
PFF vs. IWM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFF achieves a 1.44% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 20.47% return. Over the past 10 years, PFF has underperformed IWM with an annualized return of 3.21%, while IWM has yielded a comparatively higher 11.58% annualized return.
PFF
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- -1.04%
- YTD
- 1.44%
- 6M
- 1.15%
- 1Y
- 7.10%
- 3Y*
- 6.69%
- 5Y*
- 1.03%
- 10Y*
- 3.21%
IWM
- 1D
- -0.96%
- 1M
- 3.82%
- YTD
- 20.47%
- 6M
- 17.64%
- 1Y
- 40.90%
- 3Y*
- 19.22%
- 5Y*
- 6.27%
- 10Y*
- 11.58%
PFF vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 1.44% | 4.87% | 7.24% | 9.22% | -18.19% | 7.15% | 7.89% | 15.93% | -4.64% | 8.10% |
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 20.47% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFF and IWM is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 30, 2007 | 0.55 |
Over the past year, PFF and IWM have become more correlated (0.77) than their long-term average of 0.55, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
PFF vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank
PFF
IWM
PFF vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) 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.
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.
| PFF | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.34 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.35 | 3.73 | -2.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.07 | 13.18 | -9.11 |
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Drawdowns
PFF vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFF drawdown since its inception was -65.55%, which is greater than IWM's maximum drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFF and IWM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFF | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.55% | -59.05% | -6.50% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.28% | -11.03% | +5.75% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.63% | -27.50% | +16.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.05% | -31.91% | +10.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.10% | -41.13% | +7.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.54% | -0.96% | -1.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.75% | -10.75% | +5.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.75% | 3.11% | -1.36% |
Volatility
PFF vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) is 2.42%, while iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a volatility of 6.56%. This indicates that PFF 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
| PFF | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.42% | 6.56% | -4.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.42% | 14.31% | -8.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.03% | 19.74% | -12.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.35% | 22.61% | -12.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.68% | 23.06% | -10.38% |
PFF vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison
PFF has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than IWM's 0.19% expense ratio.
Dividends
PFF vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison
PFF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.55%, more than IWM's 0.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 0.90% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 5.55% | 6.30% | 6.32% | 6.63% | 6.01% | 4.45% | 4.79% | 5.31% | 6.32% | 5.59% | 5.85% | 5.76% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PFF and IWM have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWM has higher volatility (6.56%) compared to PFF (2.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFF dropped -65.55% vs IWM's -59.05%.
On 10-year performance, IWM leads with 11.58% vs 3.21% for PFF. On fees, IWM is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, PFF has been the lower-risk option at 2.42%. 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 11.58% return vs 3.21%. 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 0.46% for PFF.
PFF has the higher dividend yield at 5.55%, compared with 0.90% for IWM.
PFF is categorized as Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds, while IWM is Small Cap Blend Equities. PFF tracks ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, while IWM tracks Russell 2000 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.46% for PFF and 0.19% for IWM.
IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs 1.01), 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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