SMMD vs. IWV
SMMD (iShares Russell 2500 ETF) and IWV (iShares Russell 3000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SMMD is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 2500 Index, while IWV is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SMMD returned 7.65%/yr vs 12.07%/yr for IWV. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SMMD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for IWV.
Performance
SMMD vs. IWV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMMD achieves a 20.07% return, which is significantly higher than IWV's 9.30% return.
SMMD
- 1D
- 0.98%
- 1M
- 3.73%
- YTD
- 20.07%
- 6M
- 17.82%
- 1Y
- 38.70%
- 3Y*
- 17.74%
- 5Y*
- 7.65%
- 10Y*
- —
IWV
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.32%
- YTD
- 9.30%
- 6M
- 9.38%
- 1Y
- 25.70%
- 3Y*
- 20.32%
- 5Y*
- 12.07%
- 10Y*
- 14.84%
SMMD vs. IWV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 20.07% | 11.72% | 11.87% | 17.71% | -18.53% | 18.30% | 19.98% | 28.01% | -10.58% | 11.27% |
IWV iShares Russell 3000 ETF | 9.30% | 16.96% | 23.49% | 25.82% | -19.28% | 25.54% | 20.55% | 30.66% | -5.43% | 11.88% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMMD and IWV is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2017 | 0.85 |
The correlation between SMMD and IWV has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
SMMD vs. IWV - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
SMMD
IWV
Technology
Industrials
Financial Services
Healthcare
Consumer Cyclical
Real Estate
Energy
Basic Materials
Utilities
Consumer Defensive
Communication Services
Technology
SMMD
IWV
Industrials
SMMD
IWV
Financial Services
SMMD
IWV
Healthcare
SMMD
IWV
Consumer Cyclical
SMMD
IWV
Real Estate
SMMD
IWV
Energy
SMMD
IWV
Basic Materials
SMMD
IWV
Utilities
SMMD
IWV
Consumer Defensive
SMMD
IWV
Communication Services
SMMD
IWV
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Return for Risk
SMMD vs. IWV — Risk / Return Rank
SMMD
IWV
SMMD vs. IWV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV). 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 | IWV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.35 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.78 | 2.74 | +1.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.33 | 12.28 | +2.05 |
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Drawdowns
SMMD vs. IWV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMMD drawdown since its inception was -41.06%, smaller than the maximum IWV drawdown of -55.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMMD and IWV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMMD | IWV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.06% | -55.61% | +14.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.66% | -8.89% | -0.77% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.50% | -19.28% | -6.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.26% | -25.11% | -3.15% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.22% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -2.09% | +2.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.35% | -10.58% | +2.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 1.98% | +0.57% |
Volatility
SMMD vs. IWV - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) has a higher volatility of 6.26% compared to iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) at 4.44%. This indicates that SMMD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IWV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMMD | IWV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.26% | 4.44% | +1.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.30% | 9.75% | +3.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.74% | 12.57% | +5.17% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.91% | 17.30% | +3.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.38% | 18.43% | +3.95% |
SMMD vs. IWV - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMMD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than IWV's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, 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. IWV - Dividend Comparison
SMMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, more than IWV's 0.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWV iShares Russell 3000 ETF | 0.87% | 0.96% | 1.08% | 1.30% | 1.56% | 1.04% | 1.30% | 1.69% | 1.97% | 1.58% | 1.79% | 1.99% |
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 1.04% | 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
SMMD and IWV have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMMD has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to IWV (4.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMMD dropped -41.06% vs IWV's -55.61%.
On 5-year performance, IWV leads with 12.07% vs 7.65% for SMMD. On fees, SMMD is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IWV has been the lower-risk option at 4.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IWV has performed better with a 12.07% return vs 7.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SMMD is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for IWV.
SMMD has the higher dividend yield at 1.04%, compared with 0.87% for IWV.
SMMD is categorized as Small Cap Growth Equities, while IWV is Large Cap Blend Equities. SMMD tracks Russell 2500 Index, while IWV tracks Russell 3000 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SMMD and 0.20% for IWV.
SMMD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 1.94), 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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