GOVT vs. GOVZ
GOVT (iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF) and GOVZ (iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF) are both Government Bonds funds from iShares - GOVT tracks the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index while GOVZ tracks the ICE BofA Long US Treasury Principal STRIPS Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GOVT returned -0.45%/yr vs -11.53%/yr for GOVZ. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. GOVT charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for GOVZ.
Performance
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GOVT achieves a -0.11% return, which is significantly higher than GOVZ's -0.94% return.
GOVT
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- -0.11%
- 6M
- -0.34%
- 1Y
- 3.87%
- 3Y*
- 2.83%
- 5Y*
- -0.45%
- 10Y*
- 0.87%
GOVZ
- 1D
- -0.50%
- 1M
- 1.73%
- YTD
- -0.94%
- 6M
- -4.35%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- -7.43%
- 5Y*
- -11.53%
- 10Y*
- —
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | -0.11% | 3.77% | 2.95% | 4.17% | -13.39% | -1.11% | -1.53% |
GOVZ iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | -0.94% | -1.81% | -16.24% | 0.90% | -41.03% | -4.86% | -5.61% |
Correlation
The correlation between GOVT and GOVZ is 0.87, 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 | 0.87 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2020 | 0.89 |
The correlation between GOVT and GOVZ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
GOVT vs. GOVZ — Risk / Return Rank
GOVT
GOVZ
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) and iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ). 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.
| GOVT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.07 | 0.24 | +0.83 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.62 | 0.47 | +1.15 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.05 | +0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.36 | 0.28 | +1.08 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.01 | 0.63 | +3.38 |
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
| GOVT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.07 | 0.24 | +0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.08 | -0.48 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | -0.58 | +0.84 |
Drawdowns
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GOVT drawdown since its inception was -19.07%, smaller than the maximum GOVZ drawdown of -59.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOVT and GOVZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GOVT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.07% | -59.65% | +40.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.85% | -14.16% | +11.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.43% | -28.72% | +23.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.60% | -57.63% | +41.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.07% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.17% | -56.47% | +49.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.25% | -39.91% | +34.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.97% | 6.21% | -5.24% |
Volatility
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) is 1.09%, while iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) has a volatility of 4.27%. This indicates that GOVT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GOVZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GOVT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.09% | 4.27% | -3.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.51% | 10.50% | -7.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.63% | 16.26% | -12.63% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.04% | 23.93% | -17.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.22% | 23.35% | -18.13% |
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
GOVT has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than GOVZ'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
GOVT vs. GOVZ - Dividend Comparison
GOVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.59%, less than GOVZ's 5.18% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | 3.59% | 3.49% | 3.14% | 2.65% | 1.77% | 0.96% | 2.17% | 1.98% | 1.97% | 1.57% | 1.40% | 1.25% |
GOVZ iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | 5.18% | 5.00% | 4.68% | 3.84% | 3.69% | 1.76% | 0.39% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GOVT and GOVZ have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GOVZ has higher volatility (4.27%) compared to GOVT (1.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GOVT dropped -19.07% vs GOVZ's -59.65%.
On 5-year performance, GOVT leads with -0.45% vs -11.53% for GOVZ. On fees, GOVT is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, GOVT has been the lower-risk option at 1.09%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, GOVT has performed better with a -0.45% return vs -11.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GOVT is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for GOVZ.
GOVZ has the higher dividend yield at 5.18%, compared with 3.59% for GOVT.
GOVT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index, while GOVZ tracks ICE BofA Long US Treasury Principal STRIPS Index. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for GOVT and 0.15% for GOVZ.
GOVT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.07 vs 0.24), 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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