FLAX vs. SGOV
FLAX (Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF) and SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FLAX is a Asia Pacific Equities fund tracking the FTSE Asia ex Japan RIC Capped Index, while SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FLAX returned 8.79%/yr vs 3.58%/yr for SGOV. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FLAX charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SGOV.
Performance
FLAX vs. SGOV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FLAX achieves a 31.78% return, which is significantly higher than SGOV's 1.70% return.
FLAX
- 1D
- 0.78%
- 1M
- 8.52%
- YTD
- 31.78%
- 6M
- 33.66%
- 1Y
- 58.82%
- 3Y*
- 26.34%
- 5Y*
- 8.79%
- 10Y*
- —
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 1.70%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.93%
- 3Y*
- 4.68%
- 5Y*
- 3.58%
- 10Y*
- —
FLAX vs. SGOV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLAX Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF | 31.78% | 33.72% | 9.82% | 6.27% | -18.88% | -3.54% | 43.70% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.70% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between FLAX and SGOV is -0.12, 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 | -0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2020 | 0.01 |
The correlation between FLAX and SGOV shifts across timeframes, from -0.12 (1 year) to 0.03 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FLAX vs. SGOV — Risk / Return Rank
FLAX
SGOV
FLAX vs. SGOV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF (FLAX) and iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV). 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.
| FLAX | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -17.60 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -270.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.52 | 194.55 | -193.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.55 | 396.11 | -391.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.96 | 4,438.60 | -4,421.64 |
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Drawdowns
FLAX vs. SGOV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FLAX drawdown since its inception was -42.51%, which is greater than SGOV's maximum drawdown of -0.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLAX and SGOV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FLAX | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -42.51% | -0.03% | -42.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.99% | -0.01% | -12.98% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.29% | -0.01% | -19.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.64% | -0.03% | -38.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.34% | -0.00% | -15.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.48% | 0.00% | +3.48% |
Volatility
FLAX vs. SGOV - Volatility Comparison
Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF (FLAX) has a higher volatility of 10.93% compared to iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) at 0.06%. This indicates that FLAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGOV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FLAX | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.93% | 0.06% | +10.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.05% | 0.13% | +18.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.27% | 0.19% | +21.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.49% | 0.24% | +19.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 0.24% | +19.93% |
FLAX vs. SGOV - Expense Ratio Comparison
FLAX has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than SGOV's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
FLAX vs. SGOV - Dividend Comparison
FLAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.38%, less than SGOV's 3.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLAX Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF | 1.38% | 2.37% | 3.12% | 2.20% | 2.86% | 2.38% | 1.57% | 2.23% | 2.35% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.85% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FLAX and SGOV have a correlation of -0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FLAX has higher volatility (10.93%) compared to SGOV (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLAX dropped -42.51% vs SGOV's -0.03%.
On 5-year performance, FLAX leads with 8.79% vs 3.58% for SGOV. On fees, SGOV is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FLAX has performed better with a 8.79% return vs 3.58%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for FLAX.
SGOV has the higher dividend yield at 3.85%, compared with 1.38% for FLAX.
FLAX is categorized as Asia Pacific Equities, while SGOV is Ultrashort Bond. FLAX tracks FTSE Asia ex Japan RIC Capped Index, while SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for FLAX and 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.38 vs 2.78), 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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