LIVE
AVUV
Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF · Small Cap ETF
$122.00
+4.50% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
IWM
iShares Russell 2000 ETF · Small Cap ETF
$295.59
+8.53% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across expense ratio, momentum, yield, fund size, risk
AVUV
2
IWM
3
Comparison scoreboard
IWM LEADS 3/5Exp. Ratio
AVUV 0.25%
IWM ✓0.19%
1Y Return
AVUV +38.83%
IWM ✓+42.46%
Div. Yield
AVUV ✓1.29%
IWM 0.87%
AUM
AVUV $27.08B
IWM ✓$80.93B
Beta
AVUV ✓1.02
IWM 1.13
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
AVUV vs IWM ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
AVUV and IWM both provide small-cap US equity exposure, but with meaningfully different portfolio construction. AVUV uses factor screens (value + profitability) to target academically-supported return premiums. IWM provides broad small-cap market exposure including unprofitable companies. Factor investors who believe in the small-value premium prefer AVUV. Investors wanting the small-cap benchmark, maximum liquidity, or tactical options strategies prefer IWM.
AVUV vs IWM is the factor-tilted small-cap value ETF screening for profitability to capture small-cap, value, and profitability return premiums simultaneously (Avantis AVUV) versus the broad Russell 2000 small-cap benchmark ETF providing maximum liquidity and complete small-cap market exposure without factor screening (iShares IWM) — systematic factor exposure vs pure market-cap index.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
IWM holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. IWM has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+42.46% vs +38.83% for AVUV).
Normalized 1Y performance
AVUV
IWM
Recent returns
AVUV
IWM
Who should consider this stock?
AVUV may suit investors who:
- →believe in the academic factor investing framework — specifically the small-cap, value, and profitability factor premiums documented by Fama-French and other researchers
- →prefer profitability-screened small-cap value that avoids cheap-but-unprofitable small companies ('value traps') dragging pure small-value index returns
- →want long-term small-cap factor premium exposure in a core portfolio allocation with patience for multi-year factor cycles
- →are comfortable with small-cap value's recent extended underperformance vs large-cap growth, higher expense ratio than IWM, and factor premium uncertainty in shorter time horizons
IWM may suit investors who:
- →prefer the Russell 2000 small-cap benchmark for institutional-grade liquidity, performance attribution comparison, and deep options market for small-cap tactical strategies
- →value IWM as the recognized US small-cap standard — widely used in performance attribution, portfolio construction discussions, and financial media commentary
- →want tactical small-cap positioning for economic recovery exposure or rotation from large-cap to small-cap in a familiar, liquid vehicle
- →are comfortable with unscreened small-cap including unprofitable companies, standard index methodology without factor improvement, and tactical rather than factor-focused investing
Performance & AI score
| Metric | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 83.0 | 87.0 |
| Latest close | $122.00 | $295.59 |
| 1M return | +4.50% | +8.53% |
| 6M return | +18.57% | +20.05% |
| 1Y return | +38.83% | +42.46% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $14.15K (+41.5%) started 2025-06-18 | $14.39K (+43.9%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $19.87K (+98.7%) started 2021-06-18 | $15.1K (+51.0%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $30.41K (+204.1%) started 2019-09-26 | $33.61K (+236.1%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fund characteristics
| Metric | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.25% | 0.19% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $27.08B | $80.93B |
| Dividend yield | 1.29% | 0.87% |
| Trailing P/E | 13.58 | 19.76 |
| Beta | 1.02 | 1.13 |
| 52-week change | 38.83% | 42.46% |
Risk & fund metrics
| Metric | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +38.83% | +42.46% |
| 6M return | +18.57% | +20.05% |
| 1M return | +4.50% | +8.53% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.70 | 1.67 |
| Beta | 1.02 | 1.13 |
| Dividend yield | 1.29% | 0.87% |
| 5Y CAGR | +12.69% | +7.21% |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
AVUV max drawdown7.95%
IWM max drawdown11.03%
AVUV max wkly drop5.43%
IWM max wkly drop4.62%
5Y risk snapshot
AVUV max drawdown28.79%
IWM max drawdown31.91%
AVUV max wkly drop14.10%
IWM max wkly drop12.38%
10Y risk snapshot
AVUV max drawdown49.42%
IWM max drawdown41.13%
AVUV max wkly drop25.92%
IWM max wkly drop24.00%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +38.83% | +42.46% |
| CAGR | +38.86% | +42.49% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.70 | 1.67 | |
| Max drawdown | 7.95% | 11.03% | |
| Max daily drop | 3.51% | 3.55% | |
| Max wkly drop | 5.43% | 4.62% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +81.69% | +41.62% |
| CAGR | +12.69% | +7.21% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.44 | 0.22 | |
| Max drawdown | 28.79% | 31.91% | |
| Max daily drop | 8.16% | 6.42% | |
| Max wkly drop | 14.10% | 12.38% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +171.04% | +192.18% |
| CAGR | +15.98% | +11.33% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.51 | 0.39 | |
| Max drawdown | 49.42% | 41.13% | |
| Max daily drop | 12.69% | 13.27% | |
| Max wkly drop | 25.92% | 24.00% |
Fund overview
| Category | AVUV | IWM |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF | iShares Russell 2000 ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.25% | 0.19% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $27.08B | $80.93B |
| Dividend yield | 1.29% | 0.87% |
AVUV strengths
- →Triple factor exposure: small-cap, value, and profitability factors all simultaneously — academic research suggests each provides an independent return premium over time
- →Profitability screen avoids value traps: AVUV's requirement for profitable small-value companies excludes the cheapest-but-unprofitable small caps that drag pure value index returns
- →Avantis' systematic approach: active factor management allows quarterly rebalancing toward highest-ranked factor stocks vs rigid index reconstitution
IWM strengths
- →Most liquid small-cap ETF: IWM's large AUM and trading volume create the most liquid small-cap ETF with the deepest options market for tactical and hedging strategies
- →Benchmark standard: IWM's Russell 2000 tracking is the recognized small-cap performance benchmark in the US — widely used for performance attribution and peer comparison
- →Broad small-cap diversification: 2,000 companies create maximum diversification within small-cap, reducing single-stock event risk
Risks to watch — AVUV
- →Small-cap value has been a challenging factor: despite academic evidence, small-cap value has underperformed large-cap growth for extended periods in recent history
- →Higher expense ratio than IWM: AVUV at 0.25% is more expensive than IWM at 0.19% — worth it only if factor premium materializes
- →Small-cap stocks are more illiquid and economically sensitive: small companies underperform in economic slowdowns and credit contractions
Risks to watch — IWM
- →Many Russell 2000 companies are unprofitable: the Russell 2000 has a high percentage of unprofitable small companies — potentially dragging returns vs profitability-screened alternatives like AVUV
- →Russell 2000 includes speculative small-caps: the index includes many early-stage, money-losing small companies that represent high risk
- →Small-cap factor beta to economic cycles: Russell 2000 companies are more domestic-economy-sensitive and credit-sensitive than large-caps — underperforming more severely in slowdowns
Frequently asked questions
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