ETF Versus

DGRO vs IWF

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF vs iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

DGRO iShares

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.10%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $36.8B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.10% Since: Jun 10, 2014
IWF iShares

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. growth stocks with above-average earnings potential. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.18%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.39%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $108.0B ER: 0.18% Yield: 0.39% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

DGRO is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.18% expense ratio, saving you approximately $198 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. IWF has edged ahead over the past year (18.2% vs 13.9%). Income investors may prefer DGRO for its higher yield (2.1% vs 0.4%).

Key Metrics

Metric DGRO IWF
Expense Ratio 0.08% 0.18%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 0.4%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend US Large Cap Growth

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 103 126 149 172 195 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
DGRO +42.9%
IWF +71.3%

Performance Comparison

Period DGRO IWF Difference
1 Month -4.90% -4.73% -0.17%
3 Months +0.57% -8.83% +9.40%
6 Months +2.36% -8.48% +10.84%
YTD +0.57% -8.83% +9.40%
1 Year +13.94% +18.20% -4.26%
3 Years +39.53% +75.80% -36.27%
5 Years +42.86% +71.26% -28.40%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period DGRO Fees IWF Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $159 $357 $198
$10.000 20 years $686 $1.529 $844
$10.000 30 years $2.212 $4.912 $2.699
$50.000 10 years $797 $1.786 $989
$50.000 30 years $11.061 $24.558 $13.497
$100.000 30 years $22.123 $49.116 $26.993

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric DGRO IWF
Annualized Volatility 13.9% 21.4%
Max Drawdown -20.7% -33.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.26 0.40

Dividend Comparison

Metric DGRO IWF
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.47 $1.69
Dividend Yield 2.10% 0.39%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

3 of top 9 holdings overlap (33% overlap in top holdings)

DGRO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM3.43%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.94%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM2.93%
Apple Inc.AAPL2.87%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT2.71%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV2.67%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO2.49%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG2.14%
Philip Morris International Inc.PM2.05%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK2.05%

IWF Top Holdings

NameWeight
NVIDIA CorporationNVDA12.82%
Apple Inc.AAPL11.79%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT8.78%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO4.81%
Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN4.61%
Tesla, Inc.TSLA3.57%
Meta Platforms, Inc.META3.28%
Alphabet Inc.GOOG2.83%
Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY2.62%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose DGRO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose IWF if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose DGRO if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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