IWM vs VWO Overlap
IWM is an equity ETF from IShares, while VWO is an emerging-markets equity ETF from Vanguard. IWM and VWO show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 0.22%. They share 17 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by BHE, STC, and PI.
Served from cache.
Quick Answer
IWM is an equity ETF from IShares, while VWO is an emerging-markets equity ETF from Vanguard. IWM and VWO show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 0.22%. They share 17 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by BHE, STC, and PI.
- 0.22% weighted overlap across 17 shared holdings.
- The top three shared holdings explain 69.55% of the measured overlap.
- IWM and VWO are closer in breadth than a broad-vs-niche ETF pair.
- The overlap is mostly explained by the top shared positions rather than sector labels alone.
- Holding both can still add materially different exposure.
Data Freshness
- IWM holdings
- Mar 12, 2026
- VWO holdings
- Mar 12, 2026
- Overlap computed
- Mar 15, 2026
- Data source
- Financial Modeling Prep
Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.
Compare another pair
About These ETFs
What Stands Out In This Comparison
What This Means
IWM is an equity ETF from IShares, while VWO is an emerging-markets equity ETF from Vanguard. IWM and VWO do not own much of the same portfolio weight. That usually means you are combining different parts of the market, with only a small amount of duplication through names like BHE, STC, and PI.
How They Differ
IWM is an equity ETF from IShares, while VWO is an emerging-markets equity ETF from Vanguard. Neither fund clearly dominates on breadth, so the practical difference is more about weighting, index construction, and cost. VWO has the lower expense ratio, while IWM charges more for its exposure.
What Drives The Overlap
The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 69.55% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.
When One May Fit Better
Because IWM and VWO are closer in breadth, the better fit usually comes down to index methodology, issuer preference, and cost. VWO has the lower expense ratio, while IWM charges more for its exposure.
Overlap Driver Snapshot
Concentration
The top three shared holdings explain 69.55% of the full overlap score.
That helps show whether the score comes from a handful of giant shared positions or from a broader mix of common holdings.
Shared Sector Tilt
Sector tags are not consistently available for the biggest shared positions in this dataset, so this comparison leans more on the specific holdings than on sector labels.
Top Shared Holdings
These are the holdings contributing the most to the overlap score between IWM and VWO.
| Holding | Name | IWM Wt. | VWO Wt. | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHE | BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS INC | 0.07% | 0.15% | 0.07% |
| STC | STEWART INFO SERVICES CORP | 0.06% | 0.20% | 0.06% |
| PI | IMPINJ INC | 0.09% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| CARE | CARTER BANKSHARES INC | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| AMR | ALPHA METALLURGICAL RESOURCE INC | 0.07% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| HMN | HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP | 0.06% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| NIC | NICOLET BANKSHARES INC | 0.09% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| INBK | FIRST INTERNET BANCORP | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| CBK | COMMERCIAL BANCGROUP INC | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.00% |
| EAT | BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC | 0.21% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Why These ETFs Overlap
IWM is an equity ETF from IShares, while VWO is an emerging-markets equity ETF from Vanguard. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are BHE, STC, and PI, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.
Holding both IWM and VWO can make sense if you want exposure to different sleeves of the market. The overlap is small enough that both funds may still improve diversification.
Related Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions About IWM and VWO
What is the overlap between IWM and VWO?+
How many holdings do IWM and VWO share?+
Is the IWM and VWO overlap high?+
Why do IWM and VWO overlap?+
Which ETF is broader, IWM or VWO?+
How Overlap Is Calculated
A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.
For every stock that appears in both ETFs, we take the smaller of the two weights. Adding up all those minimums gives the total overlap percentage. A score of 100% means the two ETFs hold the exact same stocks in the same proportions.
Want the full explanation? Read the methodology page.