VTWG vs. IJT

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

VTWG (Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF) and IJT (iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF) are both Small Cap Growth Equities funds - VTWG tracks the Russell 2000 Growth Index while IJT tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VTWG returned 10.77%/yr vs 11.03%/yr for IJT. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VTWG charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for IJT.

Performance

VTWG vs. IJT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF (VTWG) and iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF (IJT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VTWG achieves a 17.46% return, which is significantly lower than IJT's 24.93% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VTWG having a 10.77% annualized return and IJT not far ahead at 11.03%.

VTWG

• 1D: 2.10%
• 1M: -2.12%
• 6M: 11.88%
• YTD: 17.46%
• 1Y: 33.76%
• 3Y*: 16.31%
• 5Y*: 5.73%
• 10Y*: 10.77%
• ALL TIME*: 11.91%

IJT

• 1D: 1.80%
• 1M: -0.05%
• 6M: 17.88%
• YTD: 24.93%
• 1Y: 34.82%
• 3Y*: 15.10%
• 5Y*: 7.04%
• 10Y*: 11.03%
• ALL TIME*: 9.64%

*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)
IJT iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF	$38.87M	$35.40M	$31.70M
VTWG Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF	$5.94M	$5.47M	$5.78M

VTWG vs. IJT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VTWG Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF	17.46%	13.07%	15.15%	18.90%	-26.49%	2.84%	34.72%	28.75%	-9.45%	22.27%
IJT iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF	24.93%	5.26%	9.33%	17.11%	-21.32%	22.37%	19.22%	20.98%	-4.40%	14.47%

Correlation

The correlation between VTWG and IJT is 0.90, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.94
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2010	0.93

The correlation between VTWG and IJT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

VTWG vs. IJT - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VTWG	IJT
Healthcare	28.8%	15.1%
Technology	22.1%	16.8%
Industrials	15.9%	19.9%
Consumer Cyclical	8.1%	11.4%
Financial Services	8.1%	14.7%
Basic Materials	5.0%	3.0%
Energy	4.8%	4.5%
Real Estate	2.5%	7.2%
Consumer Defensive	2.3%	3.5%
Communication Services	1.9%	2.3%
Utilities	0.6%	1.7%

Return for Risk

VTWG vs. IJT — Risk / Return Rank

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

VTWG

VTWG Risk / Return Rank: 61
VTWG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
VTWG Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
VTWG Omega Ratio Rank: 55
VTWG Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
VTWG Martin Ratio Rank: 63

IJT

IJT Risk / Return Rank: 84
IJT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
IJT Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
IJT Omega Ratio Rank: 79
IJT Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
IJT Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

VTWG vs. IJT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF (VTWG) and iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF (IJT). 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.

	VTWG	IJT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.50	1.96	-0.46
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.14	2.90	-0.76
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.34	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.28	3.85	-1.57
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.86	13.03	-5.16

VTWG vs. IJT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VTWG Sharpe Ratio is 1.50, which is comparable to the IJT Sharpe Ratio of 1.96. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VTWG and IJT, 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

VTWG vs. IJT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VTWG drawdown since its inception was -42.07%, smaller than the maximum IJT drawdown of -57.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTWG and IJT.

Drawdown Indicators

	VTWG	IJT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.07%	-57.61%	+15.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.88%	-9.08%	-5.80%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.58%	-27.41%	-1.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.49%	-29.24%	-11.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.07%	-42.03%	-0.04%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.93%	-1.56%	-2.37%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.45%	-10.25%	-0.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.30%	2.68%	+1.62%

Volatility

VTWG vs. IJT - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF (VTWG) has a higher volatility of 6.26% compared to iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) at 4.45%. This indicates that VTWG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IJT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VTWG	IJT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.26%	4.45%	+1.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.30%	13.00%	+4.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.62%	17.84%	+4.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.67%	21.50%	+3.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.28%	23.01%	+1.27%

VTWG vs. IJT - Expense Ratio Comparison

VTWG has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than IJT's 0.18% 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

VTWG vs. IJT - Dividend Comparison

VTWG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.60%, less than IJT's 0.69% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IJT iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Growth ETF	0.69%	0.91%	1.06%	1.02%	1.08%	0.63%	0.68%	0.92%	0.92%	0.86%	1.03%	1.14%
VTWG Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF	0.60%	0.64%	0.55%	0.79%	0.71%	0.54%	0.48%	0.72%	0.72%	0.64%	0.96%	0.72%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VTWG and IJT in my portfolio?

VTWG and IJT have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VTWG or IJT?

VTWG has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to IJT (4.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTWG dropped -42.07% vs IJT's -57.61%.

Which ETF is better, VTWG or IJT?

On 10-year performance, IJT leads with 11.03% vs 10.77% for VTWG. On fees, VTWG is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, IJT has been the lower-risk option at 4.45%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, VTWG or IJT?

Over the 10-year period, IJT has performed better with a 11.03% return vs 10.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, VTWG or IJT?

VTWG is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.18% for IJT.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, VTWG or IJT?

IJT has the higher dividend yield at 0.69%, compared with 0.60% for VTWG.

What is the main difference between VTWG and IJT?

VTWG tracks Russell 2000 Growth Index, while IJT tracks S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for VTWG and 0.18% for IJT.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IJT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.96 vs 1.50), 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.