IVW vs IWF: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
IVW and IWF are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. IVW is iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, while IWF is iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF. IWF is broader by holdings count, with 369 positions versus 151 for IVW. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has IWF ahead on AIQ Score, 45 versus 44.
What is the main difference between IVW and IWF?
IVW and IWF both concentrate in Information Technology, at 54% and 56% of assets, and 76% of their weight is in the same securities.
| Metric | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| Holdings | 151 | 369 |
| Top-10 concentration | 59.6% | 57.1% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 0.38% | 0.39% |
| Average volume | 1,609,623 | 4,481,172 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | +4.9% | -6.9% |
| YTD return | +5.2% | -5.6% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | +10.2% | +8.6% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 19.3% | 19.3% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -13.4% | -14.7% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -32.7% | -32.7% |
| Beta | 1.36 | 1.33 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.22 | -0.39 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.31 | -0.54 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 44/100 | 45/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Momentum | 24/100 | 23/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 62/100 | 62/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF vs iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF
IWF leads
IWF leads by 1 AIQ points, primarily on Quality.
Fragile: 0 of 4 evidence groups support IWF, and its current signal state is conflicted.
iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF
iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors IWF over IVW, 45 versus 44 as of Nov 7, 2026. IWF's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality. IWF also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 0 of 4 covered evidence groups favor IWF today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. IWF lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 1 points over 30 sessions.
Compare iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF and iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
IVW vs IWF: which fits what
Each row is settled by a single measure. Where the gap is too small to matter it reads Similar, and no row decides the comparison as a whole.
| If you want | IVW | IWF | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.18% | 0.18% | Similar |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 151 | 369 | IWF |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 59.6% | 57.1% | Similar |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 0.38% | 0.39% | Similar |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -32.7% | -32.7% | Similar |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 19.3% | 19.3% | Similar |
Similar means the gap is within 0.01 percentage points of expense ratio, 25% more holdings, 3 points of top-10 weight, 0.2 points of yield, 2 points of drawdown or 1 point of volatility. Past drawdowns and volatility describe the funds’ history, not their future.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes for both ETFs.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare IVW and IWF against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality65 vs 70IWF +5
- Value32 vs 30Even
- Momentum24 vs 23Even
- Risk Resilience62 vs 62Even
0 of 4 evidence groups favor IWF. IWF’s edge is concentrated in quality.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-11-06, compared against the prior scored session 2026-11-05.
Largest factor move: Quality -1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 3 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Value +2, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
IWF's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — IVW and IWF both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
IWF (iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality.
IVW (iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF): the counter-case, on technicals.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | IVW | IWF | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | 0.18% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 151 | 369 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 1,609,623 | 4,481,172 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 19.3% | 19.3% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -13.4% | -14.7% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.22 | -0.39 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 1.36 | 1.33 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
How much of the same holdings they own
IVW and IWF share 76% of their weighted exposure across 105 common holdings.
43 holdings are unique to IVW, and 261 holdings are unique to IWF. Owning both adds little diversification — they are largely the same exposure in different wrappers.
IVW is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 59.65% of the fund, against 57.13% for IWF (151 holdings vs 369). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
Largest shared positions
| Holding | IVW | IWF | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANVIDIA | 15.08% | 15.69% | 15.08% |
| AAPLAPPLE | 6.45% | 7.43% | 6.45% |
| MSFTMICROSOFT | 10.16% | 5.49% | 5.49% |
| GOOGLALPHABET CLASS A | 5.4% | 5.79% | 5.4% |
| AVGOBROADCOM INC | 4.8% | 5.1% | 4.8% |
| GOOGALPHABET CLASS C | 4.32% | 4.69% | 4.32% |
| METAMETA PLATFORMS CLASS A | 3.99% | 3.53% | 3.53% |
| MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY | 3.23% | 3.48% | 3.23% |
Shared weight is the lower of the two positions — the portion of capital both funds genuinely have in the same security.
What IVW adds that IWF doesn’t
| Holding | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| AMZNAMAZON.COM INC | 3.64% | 0.61% |
| BRK-BBERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS B | 2.58% | Not held |
| JPMJPMORGAN CHASE & CO | 1.8% | Not held |
| JNJJOHNSON & JOHNSON | 1.06% | Not held |
| RTXRTX | 0.74% | Not held |
| CSCOCISCO SYSTEMS INC | 0.64% | Not held |
What IWF adds that IVW doesn’t
| Holding | IWF | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| GEGE AEROSPACE | 1.01% | 0.49% |
| ORCLORACLE | 0.83% | 0.4% |
| TXNTEXAS INSTRUMENT INC | 0.71% | Not held |
| HDHOME DEPOT | 0.69% | Not held |
| MRVLMARVELL TECHNOLOGY | 0.62% | 0.27% |
| COSTCOSTCO WHOLESALE CORP | 0.53% | Not held |
Each list is a fund’s largest positions by weight that the other fund does not hold, or holds at less than half the weight.
IVW vs IWF: five-year payout growth
IWF grew its split-adjusted payout faster over 2020-2025 — 1.23% a year against IVW's -1.07%. IVW: The 2020 payout was 42.8% below 2019, so the growth rate measures a recovery from a weak starting year.
| Dividend metric | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y payout CAGR | -1.07% | 1.23% |
| 2020 annual payout | $0.522 | $0.399 |
| 2025 annual payout | $0.495 | $0.424 |
| Calendar-year declines | 2 | 3 |
| Peer rank | #130 of 138 | #124 of 138 |
Split-adjusted annual distributions, 2020–2025. Research as of Sep 19, 2026. Yield and expense ratio above are current values, not part of this window.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
0 of 4 covered evidence groups favor IWF. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 44 vs 45 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | Even | Value 32 vs 30 |
| Technicals | IVW | Price vs 50-day -7.4% vs -9.1%; vs 200-day -1.6% vs -6.1% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 62 vs 62 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of IVW and IWF and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 0 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on IWF.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jul 8 – Nov 6IWF lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 1 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- IWF +1
- 44 vs 45
- 7 sessions ago
- IVW +2
- 47 vs 45
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 54 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- IWF +3
- 53 vs 56
The lead changed hands 6 times in this window, most recently on Nov 5 when IWF moved ahead of IVW.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
No signal that the other name lacks.
3 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only IWF
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 3 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, Keltner Channel Breakdown, MACD Bearish Crossover.
IWF leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.94%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.26%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1IVW closes the Quality gap — currently 5 points behind, the largest single contributor to IWF's edge.
- 2IVW's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3IWF's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Performance
IVW leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -3.6% | -5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -8.5% | -9.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -8.6% | -10% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -4.5% | -9.5% |
| Year to date | 5.2% | -5.6% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 4.9% | -6.9% |
Technicals
IVW has the stronger structure| Metric | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 31.7 | 29.2 |
| ADX (14) | 31.4 | 34.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | -7.4% | -9.1% |
| Price vs 200-day | -1.6% | -6.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 27% | 25.3% |
Risk
Split| Metric | IVW | IWF |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.36 | 1.33 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.22 | -0.39 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.31 | -0.54 |
| Max drawdown | -13.4% | -14.7% |
| Current drawdown | -11.3% | -13.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 19.3% | 19.3% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -1.9% | -1.9% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
What is the difference between IVW and IWF?
IVW and IWF both concentrate in Information Technology, at 54% and 56% of assets, and 76% of their weight is in the same securities.
How much do IVW and IWF overlap?
IVW and IWF share 76% of their weighted exposure across 105 common holdings. 43 holdings are unique to IVW, and 261 holdings are unique to IWF. Owning both adds little diversification — they are largely the same exposure in different wrappers.
Which ETF is more diversified, IVW or IWF?
IWF holds more positions: 369 versus 151 for IVW.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
Neither: both charge 0.18% a year.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
Their trailing 12-month distribution yields are similar: 0.38% for IVW and 0.39% for IWF.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
Their volatility over the past year is similar: 19.3% annualized for IVW and 19.3% for IWF.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
Their worst peak-to-trough falls over the past five years are similar: -32.7% for IVW and -32.7% for IWF.
Compare IVW and IWF with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.