GOVT vs. PAYX
GOVT (iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF) is Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index, while PAYX (Paychex, Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, GOVT returned 0.79%/yr vs 9.45%/yr for PAYX. At a correlation of -0.11, they often move in opposite directions.
Performance
GOVT vs. PAYX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GOVT achieves a -0.44% return, which is significantly higher than PAYX's -9.76% return. Over the past 10 years, GOVT has underperformed PAYX with an annualized return of 0.79%, while PAYX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.45% annualized return.
GOVT
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -0.70%
- YTD
- -0.44%
- 6M
- -0.15%
- 1Y
- 3.62%
- 3Y*
- 2.77%
- 5Y*
- -0.59%
- 10Y*
- 0.79%
PAYX
- 1D
- -1.60%
- 1M
- 6.67%
- YTD
- -9.76%
- 6M
- -9.97%
- 1Y
- -35.54%
- 3Y*
- -0.75%
- 5Y*
- 2.11%
- 10Y*
- 9.45%
GOVT vs. PAYX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | -0.44% | 3.77% | 2.95% | 4.17% | -13.39% | -1.11% | 7.28% | 7.36% | 0.26% | 2.19% |
PAYX Paychex, Inc. | -9.76% | -17.49% | 21.31% | 6.21% | -13.16% | 50.16% | 13.25% | 34.53% | -1.08% | 15.41% |
Correlation
The correlation between GOVT and PAYX is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 24, 2012 | -0.11 |
The correlation between GOVT and PAYX shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (all time) to 0.14 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
GOVT vs. PAYX — Risk / Return Rank
GOVT
PAYX
GOVT vs. PAYX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) and Paychex, Inc. (PAYX). 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 | PAYX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.46 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 0.77 | +0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.27 | -0.81 | +2.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.66 | -1.27 | +4.93 |
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 | PAYX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.02 | -1.34 | +2.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.10 | 0.09 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.15 | 0.38 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.54 | -0.29 |
Drawdowns
GOVT vs. PAYX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GOVT drawdown since its inception was -19.07%, smaller than the maximum PAYX drawdown of -64.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOVT and PAYX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GOVT | PAYX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.07% | -64.85% | +45.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.85% | -43.97% | +41.12% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.43% | -44.95% | +39.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.60% | -44.95% | +28.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.07% | -44.95% | +25.88% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.48% | -35.54% | +28.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.25% | -17.95% | +12.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.99% | 29.02% | -28.03% |
Volatility
GOVT vs. PAYX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) is 1.05%, while Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) has a volatility of 9.62%. This indicates that GOVT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PAYX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GOVT | PAYX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.05% | 9.62% | -8.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.53% | 20.68% | -18.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.56% | 26.74% | -23.18% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.04% | 23.73% | -17.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.23% | 25.25% | -20.02% |
Dividends
GOVT vs. PAYX - Dividend Comparison
GOVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.60%, less than PAYX's 4.48% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | 3.60% | 3.49% | 3.14% | 2.65% | 1.77% | 0.96% | 2.17% | 1.98% | 1.97% | 1.57% | 1.40% | 1.25% |
PAYX Paychex, Inc. | 4.48% | 3.76% | 2.73% | 2.90% | 2.62% | 1.90% | 2.66% | 2.85% | 3.35% | 2.82% | 2.89% | 3.03% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GOVT and PAYX have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PAYX has higher volatility (9.62%) compared to GOVT (1.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GOVT dropped -19.07% vs PAYX's -64.85%.
GOVT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.02 vs -1.34), 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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