WTFC vs. IAK

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

WTFC (Wintrust Financial Corporation) is a stock, while IAK (iShares U.S. Insurance ETF) is Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Insurance Index. Over the past 10 years, WTFC returned 12.71%/yr vs 11.76%/yr for IAK. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

WTFC vs. IAK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) and iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WTFC achieves a 8.13% return, which is significantly higher than IAK's -3.71% return. Over the past 10 years, WTFC has outperformed IAK with an annualized return of 12.71%, while IAK has yielded a comparatively lower 11.76% annualized return.

WTFC

• 1D: 2.05%
• 1M: 0.73%
• YTD: 8.13%
• 6M: 11.94%
• 1Y: 27.46%
• 3Y*: 32.42%
• 5Y*: 14.87%
• 10Y*: 12.71%

IAK

• 1D: 0.76%
• 1M: -2.20%
• YTD: -3.71%
• 6M: -1.09%
• 1Y: -3.43%
• 3Y*: 17.08%
• 5Y*: 11.73%
• 10Y*: 11.76%

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

WTFC vs. IAK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WTFC Wintrust Financial Corporation	8.13%	13.94%	36.83%	12.00%	-5.54%	51.10%	-11.77%	8.16%	-18.56%	14.36%
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF	-3.71%	9.50%	28.25%	11.28%	11.33%	26.84%	-2.86%	25.94%	-11.48%	14.18%

Correlation

The correlation between WTFC and IAK is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.43
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.48
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 8, 2006	0.64

Over the past year, the correlation between WTFC and IAK has dropped to 0.43 - well below their long-term average of 0.64, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

WTFC vs. IAK — Risk / Return Rank

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

WTFC

WTFC Risk / Return Rank: 67
WTFC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
WTFC Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
WTFC Omega Ratio Rank: 63
WTFC Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
WTFC Martin Ratio Rank: 70

IAK

IAK Risk / Return Rank: 6
IAK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 7
IAK Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
IAK Omega Ratio Rank: 6
IAK Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
IAK Martin Ratio Rank: 5

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.

WTFC vs. IAK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) and iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK). 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.

	WTFC	IAK	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.06	-0.23	+1.29
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.57	-0.22	+1.79
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	0.97	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.43	-0.33	+1.76
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.85	-0.67	+4.52
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WTFC vs. IAK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WTFC Sharpe Ratio is 1.06, which is higher than the IAK Sharpe Ratio of -0.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WTFC and IAK, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WTFC	IAK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.06	-0.23	+1.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.47	0.65	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34	0.56	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.26	0.00

Drawdowns

WTFC vs. IAK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WTFC drawdown since its inception was -83.58%, which is greater than IAK's maximum drawdown of -77.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WTFC and IAK.

Drawdown Indicators

	WTFC	IAK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-83.58%	-77.38%	-6.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.30%	-7.98%	-11.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-31.02%	-11.58%	-19.44%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.71%	-14.76%	-25.95%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-74.50%	-44.95%	-29.55%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.62%	-4.98%	-1.64%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-23.18%	-16.14%	-7.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.18%	4.01%	+3.17%

Volatility

WTFC vs. IAK - Volatility Comparison

Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) has a higher volatility of 5.69% compared to iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) at 3.80%. This indicates that WTFC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WTFC	IAK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.69%	3.80%	+1.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.04%	9.98%	+8.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.05%	14.76%	+11.29%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.87%	18.07%	+13.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	37.32%	20.89%	+16.43%

Dividends

WTFC vs. IAK - Dividend Comparison

WTFC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.40%, less than IAK's 2.73% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF	2.73%	1.69%	1.49%	1.44%	1.69%	2.26%	2.07%	1.84%	2.33%	1.62%	1.68%	1.62%
WTFC Wintrust Financial Corporation	1.40%	1.43%	1.44%	1.73%	1.61%	1.37%	1.83%	1.41%	1.14%	0.68%	0.66%	0.91%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WTFC and IAK in my portfolio?

WTFC and IAK have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WTFC or IAK?

WTFC has higher volatility (5.69%) compared to IAK (3.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WTFC dropped -83.58% vs IAK's -77.38%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

WTFC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.06 vs -0.23), 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.