Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IWM vs XLB: how they differ
IWM and XLB hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IWM returned more over the year.
iShares Russell 2000 ETF and State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IWM and XLB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IWM | Only in XLB |
|---|---|
| MOOG INC CLASS A 0.34% | LINDE PLC 12.91% |
| UMB FINANCIAL 0.34% | NEWMONT CORP 8.14% |
| CYTOKINETICS 0.32% | FREEPORT MCMORAN INC 6.19% |
| GLAUKOS 0.32% | CORTEVA INC 5.11% |
| JFROG 0.32% | AIR PRODUCTS + CHEMICALS INC 4.78% |
| BRIGHTSPRING HEALTH SERVICES INC 0.31% | ECOLAB INC 4.75% |
| BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC 0.31% | SHERWIN WILLIAMS CO/THE 4.70% |
| FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS INC 0.31% | NUCOR CORP 4.59% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Sep 10, 2026.
| IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | XLB State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Russell 2000 | Materials |
| Total return, 1 year | +21.2% | +12.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +3.7 pts | −5.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 1749 | 27 |
IWM in plain words
IWM is an index equity fund tracking the Russell 2000. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +21.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1749 positions, with the top ten at 3.2%. It sat 5.3% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
XLB in plain words
XLB is an index equity fund tracking the Materials. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +12.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.08% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 27 positions, with the top ten at 59.4%. It sat 5.1% below its high of Aug 26, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IWM or XLB?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IWM returned +21.2% and XLB returned +12.0%, so IWM returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IWM or XLB?
- IWM charges 0.19% a year and XLB charges 0.08%, so XLB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IWM and XLB overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IWM and 100% of XLB by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IWM against XLB, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iwm-vs-xlb Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources