# How iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/ivw
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on IVW alone. It places IVW (iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where IVW stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: IVW's full trading record, from May 2000 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **What you're buying:** IVW's 0.18% fee costs about $300 more than VUG's 0.03% on $10,000 over 20 years, for a fund that tracks the same thing. IVW is a technology bet first: 54% of assets, versus 38% in the S&P 500.
- **Right now:** After a 22.2% loss from February 2025 to April 2025, IVW has bounced 23.0% off the low. Both IVW and the S&P 500 are within a few percent of a record high.
- **Fund or market?:** IVW rose 4.0% over the past 3 months, in line with the US large-cap growth ETF VUG (Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF), which rose 4.0%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%.
- **Long term:** Over the past decade, IVW returned 17.8% a year against 15.5% a year for the S&P 500 (413% in total against 321%). IVW's 10-year return of 413% puts it ahead of 96% of the ETFs with at least $100 million in assets with that much history. The S&P 500 returned 321%.
- **In a crash:** The 2022 bear market took 31.3% off IVW, against 24.5% for the S&P 500. That was more than DYNF (iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF, 26.0%) but less than QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1, 33.4%). IVW fell further than the S&P 500 in two of the last three sell-offs, including the 2022 bear market (31.3% against 24.5%).
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, IVW has a correlation of 0.95 over 5 years, more closely than 91% of ETFs with at least $100 million in assets. Next to an index fund it is more of the same, not a cushion. When the S&P 500 had a down month, IVW usually fell with it (18 of 22 months).
- **Better options**
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** VLUE (iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF, US large-cap value) and PVAL (Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF, US large-cap value) earned more than IVW with less volatility over the past 5 years. VLUE returned 15.9% a year at 18.4% volatility, against 13.1% a year at 21.5%.
  - **Versus the S&P 500:** The S&P 500 matched IVW's return over the past 5 years (12.7% a year against 13.1%) with 20% less volatility.
  - **Whole market:** Few investments have done better on both counts: only 48 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than IVW with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them KO (Coca-Cola), RY (Royal Bank of Canada) and TD (Toronto-Dominion Bank).

## How much would $10,000 in IVW have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in IVW over the past 22 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of IVW over the same span and IVW's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in IVW at the end of September 2004 would have grown to $139,196 by September 2026, more than the $102,174 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Five of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of IVW, and QQQ finished highest, at $249,744.

## IVW at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the fund, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- IVW's deepest decline since it began trading in 2000 was 57.4%, from July 2000 to March 2009. It took about four years from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 25 full calendar years, IVW's best was 2024, when it returned 35.8%, and its worst was 2008, when it lost 34.8%. It lost money in five of those years.
- IVW is 4.2% below its all-time high.

- Type: ETF, Broad Market (Asset Management - Global)
- Trading since: May 26, 2000
- Assets: $77B
- Expense ratio: 0.18%
- Volatility (5 years): 21.5%; Sharpe ratio: 0.68
- Worst decline ever: −57.4%, from July 17, 2000 to March 9, 2009; back at its high by February 8, 2013

| Period | IVW total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | −2.4% |
| 3 months | +4.0% |
| 6 months | +9.8% |
| year to date | +13.8% |
| 1 year | +15.7% |
| 3 years | +109% |
| 5 years | +85.3% |
| 10 years | +413% |

## IVW against the whole market

Where IVW ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does IVW rank among all ETFs?

This section ranks IVW on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every ETF worth at least $100 million with enough history.

- IVW's 10-year return ranks in the top 4% of the 958 ETFs with at least $100 million in assets with 10 years of history.
- IVW is among the more volatile ETFs: its price swings rank in the bottom 21% of the 1,560 ETFs with at least $100 million in assets, where the top is the calmest.

| Measure | IVW | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +15.7% | 745 of 2,485 (top 30%) |
| 3-year return | +109% | 158 of 1,949 (top 9%) |
| 5-year return | +85.3% | 207 of 1,560 (top 14%) |
| 10-year return | +413% | 38 of 958 (top 4%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 21.5% | 1,227 of 1,560 (top 79%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.68 | 566 of 1,560 (top 37%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −32.7% | 246 of 951 (top 26%) |

### What has beaten IVW on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- Nine stocks and 39 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than IVW over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 1% of the 3,633 screened. Few investments beat it on both counts.
- Among those with at least half IVW's swings, LVHI has the best return for its risk: 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, 49% less than IVW's 21.5%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.48 against 0.68 for IVW. DXJ earned the most, 26.6% a year, while still swinging less than IVW (19.1% against 21.5%).
- Among IVW's popular alternatives, DYNF is in the region. DYNF earned 14.7% a year against 13.1% a year for IVW, at 17.5% volatility, 18% less than IVW's 21.5%.

### Is there a better investment than IVW?

The table below lists investments that beat IVW over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes, and, for funds, the same exposure at a lower expense ratio.

- Among IVW's popular alternatives, DYNF earned more than IVW with less volatility over the past 5 years: 14.7% a year at 17.5% volatility, against 13.1% a year at 21.5%.
- A cheaper fund that has kept up over the past decade is VUG (0.03% a year against 0.18%).
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, VLUE (US large-cap value) and PVAL (US large-cap value) earned more than IVW with less volatility over the past 5 years. VLUE returned 15.9% a year at 18.4% volatility, against 13.1% a year at 21.5%.

The 15 strongest of 48 investments that beat IVW over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with IVW | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IVW: iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (this page) |  | +13.1% | 21.5% | 0.68 | −32.7% | +413% |  |  |
| [RY](https://easycompare.io/research/ry): Royal Bank of Canada | Banks | +17.3% | 18.2% | 0.97 | −40.0% | +352% | 0.47 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | International Equity | +26.6% | 19.1% | 1.34 | −39.1% | +428% | 0.46 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| [TD](https://easycompare.io/research/td): The Toronto-Dominion Bank | Banks | +15.8% | 20.0% | 0.84 | −42.0% | +310% | 0.44 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | Gold | +17.7% | 18.9% | 0.96 | −26.4% | +213% | 0.08 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| DFIV: Dimensional - International Value ETF | International Equity | +14.8% | 16.4% | 0.93 | −25.4% | — | 0.48 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| VLUE: iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +15.9% | 18.4% | 0.90 | −39.5% | +286% | 0.72 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| [MPLX](https://easycompare.io/research/mplx): MPLX Lp | Oil & Gas Midstream | +23.5% | 18.8% | 1.22 | −75.2% | +350% | 0.29 | Higher return, lower volatility |
| NXTG: First Trust Indxx NextG ETF | Technology | +16.2% | 19.1% | 0.89 | −33.6% | +330% | 0.80 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| GVAL: Cambria Global Value ETF | International | +14.4% | 18.7% | 0.82 | −46.8% | +173% | 0.43 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| FFLC: Fidelity Fundamental Large Cap Core ETF | Broad Market | +15.7% | 16.8% | 0.95 | −19.7% | — | 0.84 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | International Equity | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.34 | Higher return, lower volatility |
| [KO](https://easycompare.io/research/ko): The Coca-Cola Company | Food & Beverages | +14.7% | 16.8% | 0.91 | −37.0% | +204% | 0.14 | Higher return, lower volatility |
| [CB](https://easycompare.io/research/cb): Chubb Limited | Property & Casualty Insurance | +15.7% | 20.4% | 0.82 | −42.6% | +248% | 0.08 | Higher return, lower volatility |
| [EPD](https://easycompare.io/research/epd): Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | Oil & Gas Midstream | +16.4% | 17.1% | 0.98 | −58.1% | +178% | 0.25 | Higher return, lower volatility |
| SDCI: USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund | Bonds | +20.6% | 18.4% | 1.12 | −45.7% | — | 0.02 | Higher return, lower volatility |

## IVW against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against IVW, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do IVW's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Only SPMO and DYNF were both more rewarding and calmer than IVW over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, IVW returned 13.1% a year, more than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (21.5% against 17.1%).

### Has IVW consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares IVW with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Two of the 23 popular alternatives, SPMO and QQQ, outperformed IVW in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- SPMO and SPYG earned more for the risk they took than IVW (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of IVW | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IVW: iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (this page) | +15.7% | +109% | +85.3% | +413% |  |  | 0.68 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | +18.1% | +156% | +136% | +499% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.93 |
| [QQQ](https://easycompare.io/research/qqq): Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | +17.9% | +106% | +97.2% | +553% | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.71 |
| MGK: Vanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Growth ETF | +11.9% | +104% | +88.2% | +464% | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.67 |
| [QQQM](https://easycompare.io/research/qqqm): Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | +18.0% | +106% | +98.0% | — | 3/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.71 |
| [DYNF](https://easycompare.io/research/dynf): iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF | +17.1% | +106% | +98.5% | — | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.87 |
| IWY: iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF | +4.7% | +90.1% | +83.8% | +466% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.67 |
| [SCHG](https://easycompare.io/research/schg): Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | +10.4% | +99.2% | +85.4% | +451% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.67 |
| FBCG: Fidelity Blue Chip Growth ETF | +14.0% | +114% | +78.6% | — | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.58 |
| FDG: American Century Focused Dynamic Growth ETF | +5.4% | +113% | +52.4% | — | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.46 |
| [SPY](https://easycompare.io/research/spy): State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | +15.8% | +89.3% | +81.7% | +321% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.79 |
| RPG: Invesco S&P 500 Pure Growth ETF | +15.6% | +85.3% | +40.0% | +250% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.40 |
| [IVE](https://easycompare.io/research/ive): iShares S&P 500 Value ETF | +15.7% | +66.3% | +70.3% | +212% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.82 |
| [RSP](https://easycompare.io/research/rsp): Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | +15.5% | +65.4% | +48.6% | +211% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.57 |
| [VO](https://easycompare.io/research/vo): Vanguard Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | +12.4% | +68.9% | +39.1% | +198% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.47 |
| [VONG](https://easycompare.io/research/vong): Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | +4.1% | +88.3% | +75.1% | +422% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.63 |
| [VUG](https://easycompare.io/research/vug): Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF | +10.2% | +100% | +78.6% | +419% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.63 |
| [SPYG](https://easycompare.io/research/spyg): State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | +15.8% | +110% | +86.5% | +418% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.69 |
| [IWF](https://easycompare.io/research/iwf): iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | +4.0% | +87.7% | +74.1% | +416% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.62 |
| VOOG: Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF | +15.8% | +110% | +86.0% | +416% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.69 |
| IUSG: iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF | +15.9% | +107% | +83.7% | +405% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.68 |
| [VBK](https://easycompare.io/research/vbk): Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF | +9.7% | +66.3% | +17.3% | +177% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.25 |
| CGGR: Capital Group Growth ETF | +5.8% | +97.0% | — | — | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | — |
| TCHP: T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF | +2.4% | +86.0% | +49.8% | — | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.46 |

### How did IVW do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2001, along with where IVW ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- IVW finished ahead of the S&P 500 in 13 of its 25 full calendar years, and ahead of it in each of the last three.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, IVW finished in the top quarter in eight of 25 years and in the bottom quarter in four. In 2025, it ranked 4 of 20.
- Among its popular alternatives, VBK came out ahead of IVW most often, in 11 of the 21 years both traded.

| Year | IVW | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +21.9% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +35.8% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +29.8% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −29.5% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +31.8% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +33.2% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +30.8% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | −0.2% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +27.3% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +6.8% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How IVW has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were IVW's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In four of IVW's five worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- The slowest recovery came after IVW fell 57.4% from July 2000 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until February 2013, four years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −57.4% | July 17, 2000 | March 9, 2009 | February 8, 2013 | −47.7% | dot-com bust |
| −32.7% | December 27, 2021 | October 14, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | −24.2% | 2022 bear market |
| −31.4% | February 19, 2020 | March 23, 2020 | June 23, 2020 | −33.7% | Covid crash |
| −22.2% | February 19, 2025 | April 8, 2025 | June 24, 2025 | −18.8% |  |
| −20.6% | October 1, 2018 | December 24, 2018 | April 23, 2019 | −19.2% | late-2018 sell-off |

### How did IVW do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far IVW, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- None of its popular alternatives fell less than IVW in most of the crashes they both traded through.
- IVW fell less than the S&P 500 in three of the nine crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when IVW fell 49.4% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

| Crash | Dates | IVW fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −49.4% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −1.9% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −16.4% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −13.3% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.5% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −20.6% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −31.4% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −31.3% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −3.0% | −3.4% |

### How closely does IVW move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- SPMO took just 76% of the S&P 500's losses, against 102% for IVW, while still keeping 102% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, IVW captured 109% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 102% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.08. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.
- Six of the 14 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than IVW's 1.06, led by SPMO, QQQ and IWY.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IVW: iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (this page) | 109% | 102% | 1.08 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 102% | 76.0% | 0.99 |
| [QQQ](https://easycompare.io/research/qqq): Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | 118% | 102% | 1.13 |
| MGK: Vanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Growth ETF | 115% | 107% | 1.14 |
| IWY: iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF | 113% | 102% | 1.09 |
| [SCHG](https://easycompare.io/research/schg): Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | 114% | 107% | 1.12 |
| RPG: Invesco S&P 500 Pure Growth ETF | 100% | 108% | 1.15 |
| [IVE](https://easycompare.io/research/ive): iShares S&P 500 Value ETF | 88.0% | 100% | 0.92 |
| [RSP](https://easycompare.io/research/rsp): Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | 92.0% | 107% | 1.01 |
| [VO](https://easycompare.io/research/vo): Vanguard Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF | 91.0% | 109% | 1.05 |
| [VONG](https://easycompare.io/research/vong): Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 111% | 104% | 1.10 |
| [VUG](https://easycompare.io/research/vug): Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF | 113% | 108% | 1.13 |
| [SPYG](https://easycompare.io/research/spyg): State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | 109% | 102% | 1.08 |
| IUSG: iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF | 109% | 103% | 1.08 |
| [VBK](https://easycompare.io/research/vbk): Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF | 99.0% | 125% | 1.17 |

### What diversifies IVW?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in IVW into GLD would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 17% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+14.7% for IVW alone, +16.0% for the mix).
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and EMLP have moved largely independently of IVW over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.46 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.
- Among large stocks, CAH, MCK and MPC have moved largely independently of IVW over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.18 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with IVW | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in IVW's 5 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.34 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 1 of 5 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.46 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 1 of 5 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.43 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 1 of 5 |
| EWP: iShares MSCI Spain ETF | 0.38 | +140% | 20.3% | 0.97 | 0 of 5 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.08 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 1 of 5 |
| [XLE](https://easycompare.io/research/xle): State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.10 | +177% | 25.5% | 0.93 | 1 of 5 |
| AMLP: Alerian MLP ETF | 0.29 | +111% | 18.9% | 0.89 | 1 of 5 |
| EFV: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | 0.46 | +89.0% | 15.9% | 0.88 | 0 of 5 |

## Common questions

### What was IVW's worst drawdown?

IVW's deepest decline since it began trading in 2000 was 57.4%, from July 2000 to March 2009. It took about four years from the low to climb back to its old high.

### What were IVW's best and worst years?

Over 25 full calendar years, IVW's best year was 2024, when it returned 35.8%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -34.8%.

### Is there a better investment than IVW?

Among IVW's popular alternatives, DYNF earned more than IVW with less volatility over the past 5 years: 14.7% a year at 17.5% volatility, against 13.1% a year at 21.5%. A cheaper fund that has kept up over the past decade is VUG (0.03% a year against 0.18%).

### Is IVW more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. IVW's volatility over the past 5 years was 21.5%, 1.3 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, IVW's return lands within 21.5% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is IVW's Sharpe ratio?

IVW's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.68, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so IVW earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is IVW with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, IVW's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.95 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They move almost in lockstep, so holding both adds little diversification. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against IVW instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a IVW holding.

### What are the best alternatives to IVW?

Of the 23 popular alternatives we compared, two outperformed IVW in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: SPMO and QQQ.

### Did IVW outperform the S&P 500?

IVW finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 13 of 25 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +22.0%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did IVW do in stock market crashes?

IVW fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in three of the nine major crashes it has traded through, and further in two. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when IVW fell 49.4% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

### What diversifies IVW?

These had a low correlation with IVW over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.34), DXJ (correlation 0.46) and EMLP (correlation 0.43); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.18), MCK (correlation 0.06) and MPC (correlation 0.14). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/ivw
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against IVW live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=IVW&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research