GVI vs. TLT
GVI (iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GVI is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GVI returned 1.81%/yr vs -1.56%/yr for TLT. A 0.72 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GVI charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.
Performance
GVI vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GVI achieves a 0.09% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.05% return. Over the past 10 years, GVI has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 1.81%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.56% annualized return.
GVI
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.02%
- YTD
- 0.09%
- 6M
- 0.31%
- 1Y
- 3.57%
- 3Y*
- 4.23%
- 5Y*
- 1.00%
- 10Y*
- 1.81%
TLT
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- 0.48%
- YTD
- -0.05%
- 6M
- -1.27%
- 1Y
- 3.48%
- 3Y*
- -1.67%
- 5Y*
- -6.27%
- 10Y*
- -1.56%
GVI vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF | 0.09% | 6.66% | 2.92% | 5.15% | -8.28% | -1.90% | 6.38% | 6.54% | 0.77% | 1.83% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.05% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between GVI and TLT is 0.81, 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 | 0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2007 | 0.72 |
The correlation between GVI and TLT shifts across timeframes, from 0.72 (all time) to 0.83 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
GVI vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
GVI
TLT
GVI vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). 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.
| GVI | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.07 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.00 | 0.46 | +1.54 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.04 | 1.14 | +4.90 |
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
| GVI | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45 | 0.36 | +1.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 | -0.40 | +0.65 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | -0.11 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.76 | 0.26 | +0.51 |
Drawdowns
GVI vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GVI drawdown since its inception was -12.93%, smaller than the maximum TLT drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GVI and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GVI | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.93% | -48.35% | +35.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.79% | -7.58% | +5.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -2.65% | -19.18% | +16.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -12.93% | -43.70% | +30.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -12.93% | -48.35% | +35.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.08% | -40.31% | +39.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.86% | -13.82% | +11.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.59% | 3.05% | -2.46% |
Volatility
GVI vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI) is 0.78%, while iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a volatility of 2.71%. This indicates that GVI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GVI | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.78% | 2.71% | -1.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.78% | 6.50% | -4.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.50% | 9.77% | -7.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.97% | 15.86% | -11.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.53% | 14.90% | -11.37% |
GVI vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
GVI has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than TLT's 0.15% 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
GVI vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
GVI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.62%, less than TLT's 4.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF | 3.62% | 3.48% | 3.40% | 2.75% | 1.86% | 1.46% | 1.84% | 2.29% | 2.16% | 1.91% | 1.77% | 1.75% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.58% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GVI and TLT have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TLT has higher volatility (2.71%) compared to GVI (0.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GVI dropped -12.93% vs TLT's -48.35%.
On 10-year performance, GVI leads with 1.81% vs -1.56% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, GVI has been the lower-risk option at 0.78%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GVI has performed better with a 1.81% return vs -1.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
TLT is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for GVI.
TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.58%, compared with 3.62% for GVI.
GVI is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while TLT is Government Bonds. GVI tracks Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond, while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for GVI and 0.15% for TLT.
GVI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 vs 0.36), 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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