ETF Versus

EFA vs IWD

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF vs iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

EFA iShares

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.32%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.29%. Launched in 2001, the fund has a 25-year track record.

AUM: $69.1B ER: 0.32% Yield: 3.29% Since: Aug 14, 2001
IWD iShares

iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. value stocks trading at below-market valuations. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.18%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.67%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $68.2B ER: 0.18% Yield: 1.67% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

IWD is significantly cheaper at 0.18% vs 0.32% expense ratio, saving you approximately $274 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, EFA has significantly outperformed with a 20.5% return vs 14.4%. Income investors may prefer EFA for its higher yield (3.3% vs 1.7%).

Key Metrics

Metric EFA IWD
Expense Ratio 0.32% 0.18%
Dividend Yield 3.3% 1.7%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category International Developed US Large Cap Value

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 86 102 118 134 150 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
EFA +26.5%
IWD +39.4%

Performance Comparison

Period EFA IWD Difference
1 Month -4.54% -4.53% -0.01%
3 Months +1.62% +1.29% +0.33%
6 Months +3.71% +4.87% -1.16%
YTD +1.62% +1.29% +0.33%
1 Year +20.48% +14.39% +6.09%
3 Years +36.79% +40.40% -3.61%
5 Years +26.46% +39.38% -12.92%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period EFA Fees IWD Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $631 $357 $274
$10.000 20 years $2.686 $1.529 $1.156
$10.000 30 years $8.571 $4.912 $3.659
$50.000 10 years $3.156 $1.786 $1.370
$50.000 30 years $42.854 $24.558 $18.296
$100.000 30 years $85.707 $49.116 $36.591

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric EFA IWD
Annualized Volatility 16.6% 14.9%
Max Drawdown -32.4% -20.3%
Sharpe Ratio 0.10 0.22

Dividend Comparison

Metric EFA IWD
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.25 $3.58
Dividend Yield 3.29% 1.67%
Distribution Frequency Semi-Annual or Annual Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

EFA Top Holdings

NameWeight
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML2.54%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN1.46%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.41%
Roche Holding AG!swx/ROP1.36%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA1.36%
Shell plc!lon/SHEL1.31%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN1.22%
Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/72031.00%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia!asx/CBA0.99%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.!tyo/83060.95%

IWD Top Holdings

NameWeight
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.BRK.B2.89%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM2.57%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.42%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ1.94%
Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN1.76%
Walmart Inc.WMT1.61%
Alphabet Inc.GOOG1.54%
Micron Technology, Inc.MU1.34%
Chevron CorporationCVX1.32%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IWD if...

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

Choose EFA if...

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

Choose EFA if...

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

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