ETF Versus

IWM vs SIZE

iShares Russell 2000 ETF vs iShares MSCI USA Size Factor ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

IWM iShares

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.19%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.02%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $69.0B ER: 0.19% Yield: 1.02% Since: May 22, 2000

iShares MSCI USA Size Factor ETF (SIZE) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us factor - size securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.15%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.56%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: $367M ER: 0.15% Yield: 1.56% Since: Apr 16, 2013

Quick Verdict

SIZE has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.15% vs 0.19%), saving about $79 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, IWM has significantly outperformed with a 25.1% return vs 9.8%. Income investors may prefer SIZE for its higher yield (1.6% vs 1.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric IWM SIZE
Expense Ratio 0.19% 0.15%
Dividend Yield 1.0% 1.6%
Fund Family iShares N/A
Category US Small Cap US Factor - Size

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 84 98 112 126 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IWM +10.9%
SIZE +30.7%

Performance Comparison

Period IWM SIZE Difference
1 Month -5.40% -5.52% +0.12%
3 Months +0.31% -1.81% +2.12%
6 Months +1.52% -1.38% +2.90%
YTD +0.31% -1.81% +2.12%
1 Year +25.09% +9.79% +15.30%
3 Years +39.83% +35.80% +4.03%
5 Years +10.93% +30.68% -19.75%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IWM Fees SIZE Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $377 $298 $79
$10.000 20 years $1.613 $1.278 $335
$10.000 30 years $5.178 $4.109 $1.068
$50.000 10 years $1.884 $1.490 $394
$50.000 30 years $25.888 $20.547 $5.341
$100.000 30 years $51.776 $41.094 $10.681

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IWM SIZE
Annualized Volatility 22.6% 17.4%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -25.2%
Sharpe Ratio 0.01 0.14

Dividend Comparison

Metric IWM SIZE
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.54 $2.49
Dividend Yield 1.02% 1.56%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

1 of top 10 holdings overlap (10% overlap in top holdings)

IWM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE1.01%
FabrinetFN0.69%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.61%
COEUR MINING INCCDE.NE0.60%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.54%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.53%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.45%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.STRL0.43%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.AEIS0.41%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.39%

SIZE Top Holdings

NameWeight
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.LYB0.38%
Ciena CorporationCIEN0.38%
Dow Inc.DOW0.37%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.33%
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.CF0.33%
Teradyne, Inc.TER0.32%
Western Digital CorporationWDC0.32%
Texas Pacific Land CorporationTPL0.30%
Occidental Petroleum CorporationOXY0.30%
Keysight Technologies, Inc.KEYS0.30%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SIZE if...

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

Choose IWM if...

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

Choose SIZE if...

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

Related Comparisons