EDV vs. GSG
EDV (Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF) and GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - EDV is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while GSG is a Commodities fund tracking the S&P GSCI Total Return Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EDV returned -4.09%/yr vs 7.57%/yr for GSG. At a correlation of -0.23, they often move in opposite directions. EDV charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for GSG.
Performance
EDV vs. GSG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EDV achieves a -2.59% return, which is significantly lower than GSG's 34.43% return. Over the past 10 years, EDV has underperformed GSG with an annualized return of -4.09%, while GSG has yielded a comparatively higher 7.57% annualized return.
EDV
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- -2.59%
- 6M
- -3.54%
- YTD
- -2.59%
- 1Y
- 1.55%
- 3Y*
- -5.64%
- 5Y*
- -11.81%
- 10Y*
- -4.09%
GSG
- 1D
- 1.57%
- 1M
- 1.37%
- 6M
- 28.74%
- YTD
- 34.43%
- 1Y
- 38.08%
- 3Y*
- 15.01%
- 5Y*
- 14.34%
- 10Y*
- 7.57%
EDV vs. GSG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | -2.59% | 0.65% | -12.78% | 1.65% | -39.15% | -6.19% | 23.59% | 18.67% | -3.40% | 13.94% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 34.43% | 5.93% | 8.52% | -5.51% | 24.08% | 38.77% | -23.94% | 15.62% | -13.88% | 3.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between EDV and GSG is -0.35, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.16 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 13, 2007 | -0.23 |
The correlation between EDV and GSG shifts across timeframes, from -0.35 (1 year) to -0.16 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EDV vs. GSG — Risk / Return Rank
EDV
GSG
EDV vs. GSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) and iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| EDV | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 1.29 | -0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.12 | 2.03 | -1.91 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.27 | 6.88 | -6.61 |
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Drawdowns
EDV vs. GSG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EDV drawdown since its inception was -59.96%, smaller than the maximum GSG drawdown of -89.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EDV and GSG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EDV | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.96% | -89.62% | +29.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.54% | -18.81% | +6.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.42% | -18.81% | -7.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.03% | -29.12% | -25.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.96% | -57.64% | -2.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -55.31% | -59.41% | +4.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.61% | -63.69% | +40.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.84% | 5.55% | +0.29% |
Volatility
EDV vs. GSG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) is 4.00%, while iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a volatility of 7.37%. This indicates that EDV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EDV | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.00% | 7.37% | -3.37% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.13% | 21.54% | -11.41% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.09% | 23.48% | -9.39% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.56% | 22.80% | -1.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.74% | 22.00% | -2.26% |
EDV vs. GSG - Expense Ratio Comparison
EDV has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than GSG's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
EDV vs. GSG - Dividend Comparison
EDV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.25%, while GSG has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 5.25% | 4.94% | 4.65% | 3.81% | 3.28% | 1.95% | 5.54% | 3.51% | 2.90% | 2.92% | 5.32% | 4.24% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EDV and GSG have a correlation of -0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (7.37%) compared to EDV (4.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EDV dropped -59.96% vs GSG's -89.62%.
On 10-year performance, GSG leads with 7.57% vs -4.09% for EDV. On fees, EDV is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, EDV has been the lower-risk option at 4.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GSG has performed better with a 7.57% return vs -4.09%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EDV is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for GSG.
EDV has the higher dividend yield at 5.25%, compared with 0.00% for GSG.
EDV is categorized as Government Bonds, while GSG is Commodities. EDV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while GSG tracks S&P GSCI Total Return Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for EDV and 0.75% for GSG.
GSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.63 vs 0.11), 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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