ETF Versus

IEF vs IWM

iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF vs iShares Russell 2000 ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

IEF iShares

iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to intermediate-term U.S. Treasury bonds. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.15%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.84%. Launched in 2002, the fund has a 24-year track record.

AUM: $48.0B ER: 0.15% Yield: 3.84% Since: Jul 22, 2002
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

Quick Verdict

IEF 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 -0.4%. Income investors may prefer IEF for its higher yield (3.8% vs 1.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric IEF IWM
Expense Ratio 0.15% 0.19%
Dividend Yield 3.8% 1.0%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Intermediate Treasury US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 80 90 100 110 120 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IEF -15.9%
IWM +10.9%

Performance Comparison

Period IEF IWM Difference
1 Month -2.14% -5.40% +3.26%
3 Months -1.08% +0.31% -1.39%
6 Months -1.41% +1.52% -2.93%
YTD -1.08% +0.31% -1.39%
1 Year -0.38% +25.09% -25.47%
3 Years -4.38% +39.83% -44.21%
5 Years -15.92% +10.93% -26.85%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

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

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IEF IWM
Annualized Volatility 7.7% 22.6%
Max Drawdown -24.7% -33.1%
Sharpe Ratio -1.00 0.01

Dividend Comparison

Metric IEF IWM
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.65 $2.54
Dividend Yield 3.84% 1.02%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

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%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IEF 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 IEF if...

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

Related Comparisons