SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

SWDA.L (iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and IWQU.L (iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both Global Equities funds from iShares - SWDA.L tracks the MSCI World Index while IWQU.L tracks the MSCI World Sector Neutral Quality Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SWDA.L returned 12.77%/yr vs 12.13%/yr for IWQU.L. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SWDA.L charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IWQU.L.

Performance

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (SWDA.L) and iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IWQU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

SWDA.L is traded in GBp, while IWQU.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the IWQU.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with SWDA.L having a 9.95% return and IWQU.L slightly higher at 10.14%. Over the past 10 years, SWDA.L has outperformed IWQU.L with an annualized return of 12.77%, while IWQU.L has yielded a comparatively lower 12.13% annualized return.

SWDA.L

• 1D: -0.55%
• 1M: -0.21%
• 6M: 8.73%
• YTD: 9.95%
• 1Y: 21.07%
• 3Y*: 17.79%
• 5Y*: 12.11%
• 10Y*: 12.77%

IWQU.L

• 1D: -0.62%
• 1M: -0.17%
• 6M: 8.32%
• YTD: 10.14%
• 1Y: 19.72%
• 3Y*: 15.66%
• 5Y*: 10.53%
• 10Y*: 12.13%

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

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SWDA.L iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	9.95%	12.64%	21.11%	17.59%	-8.33%	23.64%	12.25%	23.03%	-3.78%	11.78%
IWQU.L iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	10.14%	7.07%	19.21%	19.60%	-9.66%	24.87%	11.57%	24.71%	-2.05%	12.88%

Correlation

The correlation between SWDA.L and IWQU.L is 0.86, 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	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 6, 2014	0.89

The correlation between SWDA.L and IWQU.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SWDA.L	IWQU.L
Technology	30.5%	31.2%
Financial Services	15.9%	14.7%
Industrials	11.3%	10.3%
Healthcare	9.1%	8.8%
Consumer Cyclical	9.0%	9.2%
Communication Services	8.5%	9.6%
Consumer Defensive	5.0%	4.8%
Energy	3.6%	3.9%
Basic Materials	3.1%	3.4%
Utilities	2.5%	2.5%
Real Estate	1.7%	1.7%

Return for Risk

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SWDA.L

SWDA.L Risk / Return Rank: 79
SWDA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
SWDA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
SWDA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 79
SWDA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
SWDA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 81

IWQU.L

IWQU.L Risk / Return Rank: 70
IWQU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
IWQU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
IWQU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 69
IWQU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
IWQU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 70

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.

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (SWDA.L) and iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IWQU.L). 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.

	SWDA.L	IWQU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.99	1.74	+0.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.80	2.53	+0.27
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.32	+0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.20	2.94	+0.26
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.47	11.60	+0.87

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SWDA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.99, which is comparable to the IWQU.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SWDA.L and IWQU.L, 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

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SWDA.L drawdown since its inception was -41.70%, which is greater than IWQU.L's maximum drawdown of -24.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SWDA.L and IWQU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SWDA.L	IWQU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.70%	-24.70%	-17.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.55%	-6.67%	+0.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.50%	-18.12%	-0.38%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.50%	-18.12%	-0.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.58%	-24.70%	-0.88%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.05%	-1.16%	+0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.44%	-3.65%	-5.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.69%	1.70%	-0.01%

Volatility

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (SWDA.L) is 2.61%, while iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IWQU.L) has a volatility of 2.95%. This indicates that SWDA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IWQU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SWDA.L	IWQU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.61%	2.95%	-0.34%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.86%	8.92%	-1.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.57%	11.29%	-0.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.36%	14.53%	-1.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.50%	15.38%	-0.88%

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

SWDA.L has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than IWQU.L's 0.25% 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

SWDA.L vs. IWQU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither SWDA.L nor IWQU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SWDA.L and IWQU.L in my portfolio?

SWDA.L and IWQU.L have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SWDA.L or IWQU.L?

On fees, SWDA.L is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SWDA.L or IWQU.L?

SWDA.L is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IWQU.L.

What is the main difference between SWDA.L and IWQU.L?

SWDA.L tracks MSCI World Index, while IWQU.L tracks MSCI World Sector Neutral Quality Index. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for SWDA.L and 0.25% for IWQU.L.