SMMD vs. IJH

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

SMMD (iShares Russell 2500 ETF) and IJH (iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMMD is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 2500 Index, while IJH is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMMD returned 8.05%/yr vs 8.44%/yr for IJH. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. SMMD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for IJH.

Performance

SMMD vs. IJH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMMD achieves a 19.46% return, which is significantly higher than IJH's 14.60% return.

SMMD

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: -1.85%
• 6M: 13.62%
• YTD: 19.46%
• 1Y: 32.80%
• 3Y*: 15.59%
• 5Y*: 8.05%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 11.06%

IJH

• 1D: -0.11%
• 1M: -1.08%
• 6M: 10.14%
• YTD: 14.60%
• 1Y: 22.81%
• 3Y*: 13.01%
• 5Y*: 8.44%
• 10Y*: 11.03%
• ALL TIME*: 9.85%

*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)
IJH iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF	$461.96M	$459.67M	$538.23M
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF	$22.23M	$19.32M	$23.61M

SMMD vs. IJH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF	19.46%	11.72%	11.87%	17.71%	-18.53%	18.30%	19.98%	28.01%	-10.58%	11.27%
IJH iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF	14.60%	7.42%	13.92%	16.40%	-13.11%	24.72%	13.60%	26.10%	-11.19%	10.79%

Correlation

The correlation between SMMD and IJH is 0.95 - they have historically moved very closely together. At this level, their price movements offset little of one another.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.95
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.97
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.98
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2017	0.93

The correlation between SMMD and IJH has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.

SMMD vs. IJH - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SMMD	IJH
Industrials	19.1%	25.2%
Technology	15.5%	17.5%
Financial Services	15.2%	13.9%
Healthcare	14.5%	8.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.7%	10.5%
Real Estate	7.7%	7.2%
Basic Materials	4.4%	4.8%
Energy	4.0%	4.6%
Consumer Defensive	3.5%	3.2%
Utilities	2.8%	2.8%
Communication Services	2.7%	1.5%

Return for Risk

SMMD vs. IJH — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMMD

SMMD Risk / Return Rank: 80
SMMD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SMMD Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
SMMD Omega Ratio Rank: 73
SMMD Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
SMMD Martin Ratio Rank: 86

IJH

IJH Risk / Return Rank: 62
IJH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
IJH Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
IJH Omega Ratio Rank: 55
IJH Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
IJH Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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.

SMMD vs. IJH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH). 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.

	SMMD	IJH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	1.34	+0.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.51	2.00	+0.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.24	+0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.19	2.39	+0.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.03	8.69	+3.35

SMMD vs. IJH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMMD Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is higher than the IJH Sharpe Ratio of 1.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMMD and IJH, 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

SMMD vs. IJH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMMD drawdown since its inception was -41.06%, smaller than the maximum IJH drawdown of -55.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMMD and IJH.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMMD	IJH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.06%	-55.07%	+14.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.66%	-8.83%	-0.83%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.50%	-24.10%	-1.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.26%	-24.10%	-4.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-42.18%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.77%	-2.39%	-0.38%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.25%	-7.53%	-0.72%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.56%	2.42%	+0.14%

Volatility

SMMD vs. IJH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) is 3.17%, while iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) has a volatility of 3.46%. This indicates that SMMD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IJH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMMD	IJH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.17%	3.46%	-0.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.18%	11.63%	+1.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.61%	15.76%	+1.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.81%	19.67%	+1.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.27%	21.13%	+1.14%

SMMD vs. IJH - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMMD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than IJH's 0.05% 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

SMMD vs. IJH - Dividend Comparison

SMMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.07%, less than IJH's 1.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IJH iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF	1.18%	1.36%	1.33%	1.46%	1.68%	1.18%	1.28%	1.63%	1.72%	1.19%	1.60%	1.56%
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF	1.07%	1.28%	1.27%	1.44%	1.79%	1.12%	1.31%	1.50%	2.45%	0.68%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMMD and IJH in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.95, SMMD and IJH move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, SMMD or IJH?

IJH has higher volatility (3.46%) compared to SMMD (3.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMMD dropped -41.06% vs IJH's -55.07%.

Which ETF is better, SMMD or IJH?

On 5-year performance, IJH leads with 8.44% vs 8.05% for SMMD. On fees, IJH is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SMMD has been the lower-risk option at 3.17%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SMMD or IJH?

Over the 5-year period, IJH has performed better with a 8.44% return vs 8.05%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SMMD or IJH?

IJH is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for SMMD.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SMMD or IJH?

IJH has the higher dividend yield at 1.18%, compared with 1.07% for SMMD.

What is the main difference between SMMD and IJH?

SMMD is categorized as Small Cap Growth Equities, while IJH is Mid Cap Blend Equities. SMMD tracks Russell 2500 Index, while IJH tracks S&P MidCap 400 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SMMD and 0.05% for IJH.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMMD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs 1.34), 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.