BLV vs. IEF
BLV (Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BLV is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BLV returned 0.99%/yr vs 0.63%/yr for IEF. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BLV charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
BLV vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BLV achieves a 0.28% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -0.66% return. Over the past 10 years, BLV has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 0.99%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.63% annualized return.
BLV
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.09%
- YTD
- 0.28%
- 6M
- -0.86%
- 1Y
- 6.59%
- 3Y*
- 2.02%
- 5Y*
- -3.33%
- 10Y*
- 0.99%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.25%
- 1M
- -0.08%
- YTD
- -0.66%
- 6M
- -1.17%
- 1Y
- 4.06%
- 3Y*
- 2.47%
- 5Y*
- -1.14%
- 10Y*
- 0.63%
BLV vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 0.28% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 18.99% | -4.17% | 10.74% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.66% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between BLV and IEF is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.90 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2007 | 0.88 |
The correlation between BLV and IEF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
BLV vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
BLV
IEF
BLV vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| BLV | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.15 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.15 | 1.00 | +0.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.92 | 2.98 | -0.06 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BLV | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 | 0.85 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.26 | -0.15 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.08 | 0.10 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 0.50 | -0.13 |
Drawdowns
BLV vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BLV drawdown since its inception was -38.29%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BLV and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BLV | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.29% | -23.93% | -14.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.73% | -4.07% | -1.66% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.16% | -7.74% | -7.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.27% | -21.40% | -14.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.29% | -23.93% | -14.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.14% | -11.35% | -12.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.51% | -5.34% | -4.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.26% | 1.37% | +0.89% |
Volatility
BLV vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) has a higher volatility of 2.50% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.54%. This indicates that BLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BLV | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.50% | 1.54% | +0.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.62% | 3.34% | +2.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.15% | 4.78% | +3.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.97% | 7.71% | +5.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.98% | 6.62% | +5.36% |
BLV vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
BLV has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
BLV vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
BLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.80%, more than IEF's 3.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.80% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.90% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, BLV and IEF move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
BLV has higher volatility (2.50%) compared to IEF (1.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BLV dropped -38.29% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, BLV leads with 0.99% vs 0.63% for IEF. On fees, BLV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BLV has performed better with a 0.99% return vs 0.63%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BLV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for IEF.
BLV has the higher dividend yield at 4.80%, compared with 3.90% for IEF.
BLV is categorized as Long-Term Bond, while IEF is Government Bonds. BLV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index, while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for BLV and 0.15% for IEF.
IEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.85 vs 0.81), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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