GOVZ vs. TLHIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

GOVZ (iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF) and TLHIX (TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund) are both funds - GOVZ is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA Long US Treasury Principal STRIPS Index, while TLHIX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by TIAA Investments. Over the past 5 years, GOVZ returned -11.53%/yr vs 7.14%/yr for TLHIX. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GOVZ charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for TLHIX.

Performance

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) and TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund (TLHIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GOVZ achieves a -0.94% return, which is significantly lower than TLHIX's 7.94% return.

GOVZ

• 1D: -0.50%
• 1M: 1.73%
• YTD: -0.94%
• 6M: -4.35%
• 1Y: 3.91%
• 3Y*: -7.43%
• 5Y*: -11.53%
• 10Y*: —

TLHIX

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 3.61%
• YTD: 7.94%
• 6M: 8.35%
• 1Y: 19.36%
• 3Y*: 14.15%
• 5Y*: 7.14%
• 10Y*: 9.07%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
GOVZ iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF	-0.94%	-1.81%	-16.24%	0.90%	-41.03%	-4.86%	-5.61%
TLHIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund	7.94%	15.76%	10.59%	15.54%	-15.72%	11.65%	12.36%

Correlation

The correlation between GOVZ and TLHIX is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.34
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.37
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2020	0.21

The correlation between GOVZ and TLHIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (all time) to 0.37 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

GOVZ vs. TLHIX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GOVZ

GOVZ Risk / Return Rank: 12
GOVZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
GOVZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
GOVZ Omega Ratio Rank: 11
GOVZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
GOVZ Martin Ratio Rank: 12

TLHIX

TLHIX Risk / Return Rank: 74
TLHIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
TLHIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
TLHIX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
TLHIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
TLHIX Martin Ratio Rank: 74

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) and TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund (TLHIX). 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.

	GOVZ	TLHIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.24	2.54	-2.30
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.47	3.63	-3.17
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.05	1.48	-0.43
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.28	3.21	-2.93
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.63	14.09	-13.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GOVZ Sharpe Ratio is 0.24, which is lower than the TLHIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.54. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GOVZ and TLHIX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GOVZ	TLHIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.24	2.54	-2.30
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.48	0.70	-1.19
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.58	0.78	-1.36

Drawdowns

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GOVZ drawdown since its inception was -59.65%, which is greater than TLHIX's maximum drawdown of -23.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOVZ and TLHIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	GOVZ	TLHIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.65%	-23.86%	-35.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.16%	-6.15%	-8.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.72%	-9.46%	-19.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-57.63%	-22.15%	-35.48%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-23.86%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-56.47%	0.00%	-56.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-39.91%	-3.50%	-36.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.21%	1.39%	+4.82%

Volatility

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Volatility Comparison

iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) has a higher volatility of 4.27% compared to TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund (TLHIX) at 2.54%. This indicates that GOVZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLHIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GOVZ	TLHIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.27%	2.54%	+1.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.50%	6.25%	+4.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.26%	7.76%	+8.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.93%	10.25%	+13.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.35%	11.11%	+12.24%

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

GOVZ has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than TLHIX's 0.10% 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

GOVZ vs. TLHIX - Dividend Comparison

GOVZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.18%, more than TLHIX's 3.89% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
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%
TLHIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 Fund	3.89%	4.20%	3.62%	2.44%	2.82%	3.21%	2.06%	2.25%	2.68%	0.14%	2.49%	0.25%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GOVZ and TLHIX in my portfolio?

GOVZ and TLHIX have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GOVZ or TLHIX?

GOVZ has higher volatility (4.27%) compared to TLHIX (2.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GOVZ dropped -59.65% vs TLHIX's -23.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TLHIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.54 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.