GSY vs. IEFA
GSY (Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF) and IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GSY is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Invesco, while IEFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net). GSY is actively managed, while IEFA is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GSY returned 2.86%/yr vs 9.90%/yr for IEFA. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GSY charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IEFA.
Performance
GSY vs. IEFA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GSY achieves a 1.72% return, which is significantly lower than IEFA's 9.51% return. Over the past 10 years, GSY has underperformed IEFA with an annualized return of 2.86%, while IEFA has yielded a comparatively higher 9.90% annualized return.
GSY
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.36%
- YTD
- 1.72%
- 6M
- 1.96%
- 1Y
- 4.49%
- 3Y*
- 5.48%
- 5Y*
- 3.68%
- 10Y*
- 2.86%
IEFA
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 1.09%
- YTD
- 9.51%
- 6M
- 11.08%
- 1Y
- 22.43%
- 3Y*
- 16.31%
- 5Y*
- 8.10%
- 10Y*
- 9.90%
GSY vs. IEFA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSY Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF | 1.72% | 4.96% | 5.95% | 5.99% | 0.01% | 0.03% | 1.88% | 3.39% | 2.18% | 1.86% |
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 9.51% | 32.08% | 3.26% | 17.95% | -15.24% | 11.63% | 8.18% | 22.64% | -14.14% | 26.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between GSY and IEFA is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2012 | 0.07 |
Over the past year, GSY and IEFA have become more correlated (0.30) than their long-term average of 0.07, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
GSY vs. IEFA — Risk / Return Rank
GSY
IEFA
GSY vs. IEFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (GSY) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). 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.
| GSY | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +9.85 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +25.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 6.54 | 1.25 | +5.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 75.72 | 1.83 | +73.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 373.96 | 6.93 | +367.02 |
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Drawdowns
GSY vs. IEFA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GSY drawdown since its inception was -12.14%, smaller than the maximum IEFA drawdown of -34.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GSY and IEFA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GSY | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.14% | -34.78% | +22.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.06% | -11.50% | +11.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.18% | -13.76% | +13.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.48% | -30.41% | +28.93% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.25% | -34.78% | +29.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.60% | +0.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.38% | -6.68% | +4.30% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.01% | 3.03% | -3.02% |
Volatility
GSY vs. IEFA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (GSY) is 0.15%, while iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that GSY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GSY | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.15% | 5.50% | -5.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.31% | 13.11% | -12.80% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.40% | 15.54% | -15.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.58% | 16.61% | -16.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.22% | 17.31% | -16.09% |
GSY vs. IEFA - Expense Ratio Comparison
GSY has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than IEFA's 0.07% 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
GSY vs. IEFA - Dividend Comparison
GSY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than IEFA's 3.24% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSY Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF | 4.34% | 4.56% | 5.31% | 4.95% | 1.70% | 0.58% | 1.45% | 2.71% | 2.30% | 1.80% | 1.21% | 1.17% |
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.24% | 3.55% | 3.47% | 3.20% | 2.70% | 3.32% | 1.90% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.57% | 2.96% | 2.63% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GSY and IEFA have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IEFA has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to GSY (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GSY dropped -12.14% vs IEFA's -34.78%.
On 10-year performance, IEFA leads with 9.90% vs 2.86% for GSY. On fees, IEFA is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, GSY has been the lower-risk option at 0.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IEFA has performed better with a 9.90% return vs 2.86%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEFA is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for GSY.
GSY has the higher dividend yield at 4.34%, compared with 3.24% for IEFA.
GSY is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while IEFA is Foreign Large Cap Equities. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for GSY and 0.07% for IEFA.
GSY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (11.20 vs 1.35), 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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