GOVT vs. IEF
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF).
GOVT and IEF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GOVT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012. IEF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Jul 26, 2002. Both GOVT and IEF are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: GOVT or IEF.
Key characteristics
| GOVT | IEF | |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | -3.29% | -4.58% |
| 1Y Return | -2.91% | -5.52% |
| 3Y Return (Ann) | -3.88% | -5.32% |
| 5Y Return (Ann) | -0.59% | -1.18% |
| 10Y Return (Ann) | 0.66% | 0.78% |
| Sharpe Ratio | -0.53 | -0.71 |
| Daily Std Dev | 6.20% | 8.32% |
| Max Drawdown | -19.07% | -23.93% |
| Current Drawdown | -15.88% | -20.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between GOVT and IEF is 0.94, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Performance
GOVT vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
In the year-to-date period, GOVT achieves a -3.29% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -4.58% return. Over the past 10 years, GOVT has underperformed IEF with an annualized return of 0.66%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively higher 0.78% annualized return. The chart below displays the growth of a $10,000 investment in both assets, with all prices adjusted for splits and dividends.
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GOVT vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both GOVT and IEF have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
GOVT vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) 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.
Dividends
GOVT vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
GOVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.93%, less than IEF's 3.25% yield.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | 2.93% | 2.65% | 1.77% | 0.96% | 2.17% | 1.98% | 1.97% | 1.57% | 1.40% | 1.25% | 1.17% | 0.93% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.25% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% | 2.05% | 1.77% |
Drawdowns
GOVT vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GOVT drawdown since its inception was -19.07%, smaller than the maximum IEF drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOVT and IEF. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
GOVT vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) is 1.80%, while iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a volatility of 2.22%. This indicates that GOVT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.