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RKLB vs. IWM
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

RKLB vs. IWM

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

RKLB (Rocket Lab USA, Inc.) is a stock, while IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) is Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. Over the past 3 years, RKLB returned 179.23%/yr vs 16.64%/yr for IWM. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

RKLB vs. IWM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RKLB achieves a 62.92% return, which is significantly higher than IWM's 15.62% return.

RKLB

1D
3.24%
1M
7.76%
YTD
62.92%
6M
120.42%
1Y
292.98%
3Y*
179.23%
5Y*
—
10Y*
—

IWM

1D
0.87%
1M
-0.02%
YTD
15.62%
6M
13.83%
1Y
35.52%
3Y*
16.64%
5Y*
5.48%
10Y*
10.78%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

RKLB vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)20252024202320222021
RKLB
Rocket Lab USA, Inc.		62.92%173.89%360.58%46.68%-69.30%8.67%
IWM
iShares Russell 2000 ETF		15.62%12.66%11.38%16.83%-20.48%1.90%

Correlation

The correlation between RKLB and IWM is 0.54, 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

0.54

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.58

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 24, 2021

0.58

The correlation between RKLB and IWM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.54 to 0.58 - a consistent structural relationship.

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Rocket Lab USA, Inc.

iShares Russell 2000 ETF

Often compared with RKLB:
RKLB vs. RDWRKLB vs. PLRKLB vs. ASTRRKLB vs. LUNRRKLB vs. JOBYRKLB vs. LMTRKLB vs. SPIR
Often compared with IWM:
IWM vs. SPYIWM vs. VTWOIWM vs. IJRIWM vs. AVUVIWM vs. IWNIWM vs. VOOIWM vs. IWO

Return for Risk

RKLB vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
RKLB
RKLB Risk / Return Rank: 9393
Overall Rank
RKLB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9696
Sharpe Ratio Rank
RKLB Sortino Ratio Rank: 9090
Sortino Ratio Rank
RKLB Omega Ratio Rank: 8888
Omega Ratio Rank
RKLB Calmar Ratio Rank: 9595
Calmar Ratio Rank
RKLB Martin Ratio Rank: 9494
Martin Ratio Rank
IWM
IWM Risk / Return Rank: 6363
Overall Rank
IWM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6161
Sharpe Ratio Rank
IWM Sortino Ratio Rank: 6060
Sortino Ratio Rank
IWM Omega Ratio Rank: 5454
Omega Ratio Rank
IWM Calmar Ratio Rank: 7171
Calmar Ratio Rank
IWM Martin Ratio Rank: 6868
Martin Ratio Rank
The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

RKLB vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) 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.

RKLBIWMDifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
3.20
1.83

+1.37

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
3.18
2.54

+0.64

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.39

1.30

+0.08

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

6.86

3.24

+3.63

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

15.94

11.44

+4.50

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RKLB vs. IWM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RKLB Sharpe Ratio is 3.20, which is higher than the IWM Sharpe Ratio of 1.83. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RKLB and IWM, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

RKLBIWMDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

3.20

1.83

+1.37

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.24

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

—

0.47

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.76

0.36

+0.39

Drawdowns

RKLB vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RKLB drawdown since its inception was -82.96%, which is greater than IWM's maximum drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RKLB and IWM.

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Drawdown Indicators

RKLBIWMDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-82.96%

-59.05%

-23.91%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-43.01%

-11.03%

-31.98%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-55.49%

-27.50%

-27.99%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-31.91%

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

—

-41.13%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-24.35%

-2.71%

-21.64%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-51.40%

-10.76%

-40.64%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

18.48%

3.11%

+15.37%

Volatility

RKLB vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) has a higher volatility of 41.86% compared to iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) at 6.52%. This indicates that RKLB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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

RKLBIWMDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

41.86%

6.52%

+35.34%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

72.23%

14.00%

+58.23%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

92.32%

19.53%

+72.79%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

81.48%

22.58%

+58.90%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

81.48%

23.07%

+58.41%

Dividends

RKLB vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison

RKLB has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
IWM
iShares Russell 2000 ETF		0.89%1.04%1.15%1.35%1.48%0.94%1.04%1.26%1.40%1.26%1.38%1.54%
RKLB
Rocket Lab USA, Inc.		0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

RKLB and IWM have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

RKLB has higher volatility (41.86%) compared to IWM (6.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RKLB dropped -82.96% vs IWM's -59.05%.

RKLB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.20 vs 1.83), 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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