VRIG vs. IWM
VRIG (Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF) and IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VRIG is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Invesco, while IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. VRIG is actively managed, while IWM is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VRIG returned 4.44%/yr vs 6.07%/yr for IWM. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VRIG charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IWM.
Performance
VRIG vs. IWM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VRIG achieves a 1.91% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 19.22% return.
VRIG
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 1.91%
- 6M
- 2.18%
- 1Y
- 4.93%
- 3Y*
- 5.94%
- 5Y*
- 4.44%
- 10Y*
- —
IWM
- 1D
- 0.87%
- 1M
- 3.64%
- YTD
- 19.22%
- 6M
- 16.00%
- 1Y
- 39.16%
- 3Y*
- 17.23%
- 5Y*
- 6.07%
- 10Y*
- 11.27%
VRIG vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VRIG Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF | 1.91% | 5.05% | 6.81% | 7.37% | 0.99% | 1.06% | 1.76% | 4.57% | 0.51% | 3.20% |
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 19.22% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between VRIG and IWM is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2016 | 0.10 |
VRIG vs. IWM - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
VRIG
IWM
Financial Services
Consumer Cyclical
Basic Materials
Consumer Defensive
Technology
Real Estate
Utilities
Industrials
Communication Services
-
Energy
-
Healthcare
-
Financial Services
VRIG
IWM
Consumer Cyclical
VRIG
IWM
Basic Materials
VRIG
IWM
Consumer Defensive
VRIG
IWM
Technology
VRIG
IWM
Real Estate
VRIG
IWM
Utilities
VRIG
IWM
Industrials
VRIG
IWM
Communication Services
VRIG
-
IWM
Energy
VRIG
-
IWM
Healthcare
VRIG
-
IWM
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Return for Risk
VRIG vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank
VRIG
IWM
VRIG vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). 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.
| VRIG | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +8.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +21.42 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 5.25 | 1.33 | +3.92 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 61.96 | 3.57 | +58.39 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 315.58 | 12.63 | +302.95 |
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Drawdowns
VRIG vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VRIG drawdown since its inception was -13.04%, smaller than the maximum IWM drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VRIG and IWM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VRIG | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.04% | -59.05% | +46.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.08% | -11.03% | +10.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.78% | -27.50% | +26.72% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -2.28% | -31.91% | +29.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -41.13% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.27% | -10.76% | +10.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.02% | 3.12% | -3.10% |
Volatility
VRIG vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG) is 0.10%, while iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a volatility of 7.16%. This indicates that VRIG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IWM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VRIG | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.10% | 7.16% | -7.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.35% | 14.29% | -13.94% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.50% | 19.73% | -19.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.29% | 22.61% | -21.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.79% | 23.08% | -19.29% |
VRIG vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison
VRIG has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than IWM's 0.19% expense ratio.
Dividends
VRIG vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison
VRIG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.79%, more than IWM's 0.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 0.87% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
VRIG Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF | 4.79% | 4.99% | 6.09% | 5.97% | 2.39% | 0.78% | 1.57% | 3.12% | 2.89% | 2.31% | 0.60% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VRIG and IWM have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IWM has higher volatility (7.16%) compared to VRIG (0.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VRIG dropped -13.04% vs IWM's -59.05%.
On 5-year performance, IWM leads with 6.07% vs 4.44% for VRIG. On fees, IWM is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, VRIG has been the lower-risk option at 0.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IWM has performed better with a 6.07% return vs 4.44%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IWM is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.30% for VRIG.
VRIG has the higher dividend yield at 4.79%, compared with 0.87% for IWM.
VRIG is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while IWM is Small Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for VRIG and 0.19% for IWM.
VRIG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (10.00 vs 1.99), 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.
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