SMLF vs. LGLV

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

SMLF (iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF) and LGLV (SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMLF is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the STOXX U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor Index, while LGLV is a Low Volatility fund tracking the State Street U.S. Large Cap Low Volatility Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SMLF returned 12.07%/yr vs 11.19%/yr for LGLV. Their 0.65 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. SMLF charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for LGLV.

Performance

SMLF vs. LGLV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (SMLF) and SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (LGLV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMLF achieves a 15.73% return, which is significantly higher than LGLV's 7.61% return. Over the past 10 years, SMLF has outperformed LGLV with an annualized return of 12.07%, while LGLV has yielded a comparatively lower 11.19% annualized return.

SMLF

• 1D: -0.34%
• 1M: -2.11%
• 6M: 11.39%
• YTD: 15.73%
• 1Y: 27.75%
• 3Y*: 16.57%
• 5Y*: 10.96%
• 10Y*: 12.07%
• ALL TIME*: 11.32%

LGLV

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.47%
• 6M: 3.70%
• YTD: 7.61%
• 1Y: 10.51%
• 3Y*: 11.84%
• 5Y*: 8.32%
• 10Y*: 11.19%
• ALL TIME*: 11.95%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
LGLV SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF	$5.56M	$4.60M	$5.45M
SMLF iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF	$11.55M	$13.63M	$14.55M

SMLF vs. LGLV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SMLF iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF	15.73%	12.30%	16.33%	19.99%	-12.19%	26.53%	8.38%	21.56%	-8.42%	12.70%
LGLV SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF	7.61%	8.37%	16.22%	9.19%	-8.17%	27.95%	7.42%	30.83%	0.32%	17.84%

Correlation

The correlation between SMLF and LGLV is 0.43, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.43
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.59
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.68
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 30, 2015	0.65

Over the past year, the correlation between SMLF and LGLV has dropped to 0.43 - well below their long-term average of 0.65, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

SMLF vs. LGLV - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SMLF	LGLV
Technology	19.2%	9.0%
Industrials	18.9%	18.7%
Healthcare	14.4%	7.3%
Financial Services	14.1%	10.0%
Consumer Cyclical	11.7%	9.1%
Real Estate	5.7%	17.8%
Basic Materials	4.2%	3.4%
Energy	3.9%	3.5%
Communication Services	2.9%	3.9%
Consumer Defensive	2.9%	5.6%
Utilities	2.0%	11.8%

Return for Risk

SMLF vs. LGLV — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

SMLF

SMLF Risk / Return Rank: 70
SMLF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
SMLF Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
SMLF Omega Ratio Rank: 60
SMLF Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
SMLF Martin Ratio Rank: 79

LGLV

LGLV Risk / Return Rank: 39
LGLV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
LGLV Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
LGLV Omega Ratio Rank: 37
LGLV Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
LGLV Martin Ratio Rank: 35

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

SMLF vs. LGLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (SMLF) and SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (LGLV). 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.

	SMLF	LGLV	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.49	0.99	+0.50
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.16	1.53	+0.63
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.17	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.00	1.47	+1.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.03	3.41	+6.62

SMLF vs. LGLV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMLF Sharpe Ratio is 1.49, which is higher than the LGLV Sharpe Ratio of 0.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMLF and LGLV, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SMLF vs. LGLV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMLF drawdown since its inception was -41.89%, which is greater than LGLV's maximum drawdown of -36.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMLF and LGLV.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMLF	LGLV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.89%	-36.64%	-5.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.71%	-6.86%	-1.85%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.28%	-10.17%	-16.11%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.28%	-17.49%	-8.79%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.89%	-36.64%	-5.25%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.26%	-2.14%	-1.12%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.53%	-3.21%	-3.32%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.60%	2.95%	-0.35%

Volatility

SMLF vs. LGLV - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF (SMLF) is 4.00%, while SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (LGLV) has a volatility of 4.53%. This indicates that SMLF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LGLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMLF	LGLV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.00%	4.53%	-0.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.80%	7.99%	+4.81%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.54%	10.16%	+7.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.01%	13.03%	+7.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.76%	16.09%	+5.67%

SMLF vs. LGLV - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMLF has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than LGLV's 0.12% 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

SMLF vs. LGLV - Dividend Comparison

SMLF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, less than LGLV's 1.99% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LGLV SPDR SSGA US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF	1.99%	1.94%	1.93%	2.03%	1.95%	1.65%	1.98%	1.89%	2.09%	4.39%	2.54%	2.97%
SMLF iShares U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor ETF	1.02%	1.14%	1.33%	1.13%	1.23%	1.07%	1.33%	1.39%	1.17%	0.93%	0.78%	0.79%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMLF and LGLV in my portfolio?

SMLF and LGLV have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SMLF or LGLV?

LGLV has higher volatility (4.53%) compared to SMLF (4.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMLF dropped -41.89% vs LGLV's -36.64%.

Which ETF is better, SMLF or LGLV?

On 10-year performance, SMLF leads with 12.07% vs 11.19% for LGLV. On fees, LGLV is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, SMLF has been the lower-risk option at 4.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SMLF or LGLV?

Over the 10-year period, SMLF has performed better with a 12.07% return vs 11.19%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SMLF or LGLV?

LGLV is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for SMLF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SMLF or LGLV?

LGLV has the higher dividend yield at 1.99%, compared with 1.02% for SMLF.

What is the main difference between SMLF and LGLV?

SMLF is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while LGLV is Low Volatility. SMLF tracks STOXX U.S. Small-Cap Equity Factor Index, while LGLV tracks State Street U.S. Large Cap Low Volatility Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SMLF and 0.12% for LGLV.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMLF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.49 vs 0.99), 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.