IYR vs RWR: Real Estate ETF Showdown
Institutional side-by-side analysis of fees, dividend cash flows, and underlying holdings overlap.
Key Fundamental Specifications
| Metric | IYR | RWR |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Expense Ratio | 0.39% | 0.25% Lowest Fee |
| Annual Dividend Yield | 3.25% | 3.75% Higher Yield |
| Assets Under Management (AUM) | $3.8 Billion | $1.2 Billion |
| Number of Holdings | 75 Constituents | 92 Constituents |
| Fund Issuer | BlackRock | State Street SPDR |
| Benchmark Index | Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index | Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT Index |
Top Holdings & Weight Overlap
Constituent weights across both funds:
| REIT Constituent | IYR Weight | RWR Weight |
|---|---|---|
| PLD Prologis Inc. | 8.1% | 0.0% |
| EQIX Equinix Inc. | 6.9% | 0.0% |
| WELL Welltower Inc. | 6.5% | 0.0% |
| SPG Simon Property Group | 4.5% | 0.0% |
| PSA Public Storage | 4.2% | 0.0% |
| DLR Digital Realty Trust | 4.0% | 0.0% |
| O Realty Income Corp. | 3.9% | 0.0% |
Institutional Verdict: IYR or RWR?
Fee Advantage: RWR offers the lower expense ratio at 0.25% vs 0.39%. Over a 20-year holding period, lower expense drag preserves thousands of dollars in cumulative returns.
Yield Generation: For income-focused investors, RWR provides the higher current dividend yield at 3.75%, making it more attractive for living off dividend cash flow.
Conclusion: If your priority is low-cost passive index tracking, choose RWR. If your mandate is maximum immediate dividend yield, choose RWR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between IYR and RWR?
iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR) is issued by BlackRock with an expense ratio of 0.39% and dividend yield of 3.25%. In comparison, SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF (RWR) is issued by State Street SPDR charging 0.25% with a yield of 3.75%.
Which REIT ETF has lower fees: IYR or RWR?
RWR has the lower annual expense ratio (0.25% vs 0.39%), saving long-term investors money on compounding fee drag.
Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield: IYR or RWR?
RWR currently pays the higher annualized dividend yield (3.75% vs 3.25%).
Can I hold both IYR and RWR in a portfolio?
While you can hold both, IYR and RWR share significant constituent overlap in top REITs like Prologis, American Tower, and Equinix. Holding both may cause redundant portfolio exposure.