EFA vs. IEF
EFA (iShares MSCI EAFE ETF) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Index (Net), 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, EFA returned 9.28%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for IEF. At a correlation of -0.19, they often move in opposite directions. EFA charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
EFA vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EFA achieves a 7.13% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, EFA has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 9.28%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.53% annualized return.
EFA
- 1D
- 0.61%
- 1M
- -1.04%
- YTD
- 7.13%
- 6M
- 9.67%
- 1Y
- 18.74%
- 3Y*
- 15.87%
- 5Y*
- 8.03%
- 10Y*
- 9.28%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -1.19%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -0.96%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 2.43%
- 5Y*
- -1.34%
- 10Y*
- 0.53%
EFA vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 7.13% | 31.55% | 3.49% | 18.36% | -14.39% | 11.45% | 7.60% | 22.04% | -13.82% | 25.07% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -1.16% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between EFA and IEF is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 26, 2002 | -0.19 |
The correlation between EFA and IEF shifts across timeframes, from -0.19 (all time) to 0.38 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EFA vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
EFA
IEF
EFA vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) 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.
| EFA | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.39 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.52 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.14 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.65 | 0.96 | +0.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.15 | 2.79 | +3.36 |
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
| EFA | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.23 | 0.84 | +0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 | -0.17 | +0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.08 | +0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.50 | -0.19 |
Drawdowns
EFA vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EFA drawdown since its inception was -61.04%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EFA and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EFA | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.04% | -23.93% | -37.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.42% | -4.07% | -7.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.05% | -7.74% | -6.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.53% | -21.40% | -8.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.19% | -23.93% | -10.26% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.63% | -11.80% | +9.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.93% | -5.35% | -6.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.05% | 1.40% | +1.65% |
Volatility
EFA vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) has a higher volatility of 4.54% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.51%. This indicates that EFA'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
| EFA | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.54% | 1.51% | +3.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.82% | 3.36% | +9.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.31% | 4.69% | +10.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.52% | 7.71% | +8.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.28% | 6.63% | +10.65% |
EFA vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
EFA has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
EFA vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
EFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.16%, less than IEF's 3.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.16% | 3.38% | 3.24% | 2.98% | 2.69% | 3.33% | 2.13% | 3.10% | 3.39% | 2.57% | 3.07% | 2.76% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.92% | 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
EFA and IEF have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EFA has higher volatility (4.54%) compared to IEF (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EFA dropped -61.04% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, EFA leads with 9.28% vs 0.53% for IEF. On fees, IEF is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.51%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, EFA has performed better with a 9.28% return vs 0.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEF is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for EFA.
IEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.92%, compared with 3.16% for EFA.
EFA is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while IEF is Government Bonds. EFA tracks MSCI EAFE Index (Net), while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for EFA and 0.15% for IEF.
EFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.23 vs 0.84), 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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