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SMLF vs. DES
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

SMLF vs. DES

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF (SMLF) and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES).

SMLF and DES are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SMLF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI USA Small Cap Diversified Multi-Factor. It was launched on Apr 28, 2015. DES is a passively managed fund by WisdomTree that tracks the performance of the WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend (TR). It was launched on Jun 16, 2006. Both SMLF and DES 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

SMLF vs. DES - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF (SMLF) and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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SMLF vs. DES - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
SMLF
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF		1.08%12.30%16.33%19.99%-12.19%26.53%8.38%21.56%-8.42%12.70%
DES
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund		7.74%0.25%9.93%16.50%-10.96%26.51%-4.26%20.26%-12.85%8.64%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMLF achieves a 1.08% return, which is significantly lower than DES's 7.74% return. Over the past 10 years, SMLF has outperformed DES with an annualized return of 11.24%, while DES has yielded a comparatively lower 7.69% annualized return.

SMLF

1D
3.34%
1M
-4.37%
YTD
1.08%
6M
2.12%
1Y
22.93%
3Y*
15.22%
5Y*
8.55%
10Y*
11.24%

DES

1D
1.53%
1M
-2.75%
YTD
7.74%
6M
7.99%
1Y
15.59%
3Y*
11.06%
5Y*
5.64%
10Y*
7.69%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund

Often compared with SMLF:
SMLF vs. FSMDSMLF vs. SMLVSMLF vs. IWMSMLF vs. SMMVSMLF vs. VBRSMLF vs. GSSCSMLF vs. FZIPX
Often compared with DES:
DES vs. AVUVDES vs. EESDES vs. IWNDES vs. SCHDDES vs. VBRDES vs. VXUSDES vs. FDVV

SMLF vs. DES - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMLF has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than DES's 0.38% expense ratio.

DES
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund
SMLF
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF

Return for Risk

SMLF vs. DES — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
SMLF
SMLF Risk / Return Rank: 6363
Overall Rank
SMLF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6060
Sharpe Ratio Rank
SMLF Sortino Ratio Rank: 6363
Sortino Ratio Rank
SMLF Omega Ratio Rank: 5959
Omega Ratio Rank
SMLF Calmar Ratio Rank: 6565
Calmar Ratio Rank
SMLF Martin Ratio Rank: 7070
Martin Ratio Rank
DES
DES Risk / Return Rank: 4545
Overall Rank
DES Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4444
Sharpe Ratio Rank
DES Sortino Ratio Rank: 4646
Sortino Ratio Rank
DES Omega Ratio Rank: 4242
Omega Ratio Rank
DES Calmar Ratio Rank: 4949
Calmar Ratio Rank
DES Martin Ratio Rank: 4646
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.

SMLF vs. DES - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF (SMLF) and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES). 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.

SMLFDESDifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.02

0.76

+0.25

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

1.55

1.21

+0.33

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.21

1.16

+0.05

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

1.56

1.17

+0.39

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

6.74

4.15

+2.59

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

SMLF vs. DES - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMLF Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is higher than the DES Sharpe Ratio of 0.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMLF and DES, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

SMLFDESDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.02

0.76

+0.25

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.41

0.29

+0.12

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.52

0.35

+0.17

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.49

0.30

+0.18

Correlation

The correlation between SMLF and DES is 0.85, 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

SMLF vs. DES - Dividend Comparison

SMLF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, less than DES's 2.54% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
SMLF
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF		1.17%1.14%1.33%1.13%1.23%1.07%1.33%1.39%1.17%0.93%0.78%0.79%
DES
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund		2.54%2.85%2.81%2.65%2.89%2.31%2.75%2.68%3.65%2.89%2.70%3.09%

Drawdowns

SMLF vs. DES - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMLF drawdown since its inception was -41.89%, smaller than the maximum DES drawdown of -65.48%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMLF and DES.

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Drawdown Indicators

SMLFDESDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-41.89%

-65.48%

+23.59%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-14.59%

-13.44%

-1.15%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-26.28%

-25.16%

-1.12%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-41.89%

-45.65%

+3.76%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-5.66%

-4.41%

-1.25%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-6.68%

-9.76%

+3.08%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

3.38%

3.79%

-0.41%

Volatility

SMLF vs. DES - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF (SMLF) has a higher volatility of 7.09% compared to WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES) at 4.88%. This indicates that SMLF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DES based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

SMLFDESDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

7.09%

4.88%

+2.21%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

13.36%

11.87%

+1.49%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

22.67%

20.50%

+2.17%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

21.14%

19.66%

+1.48%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

21.75%

21.98%

-0.23%