IBDT vs. TLT

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IBDT (iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IBDT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg December 2028 Maturity Corporate Index, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IBDT returned 1.39%/yr vs -6.31%/yr for TLT. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IBDT charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.

Performance

IBDT vs. TLT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF (IBDT) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IBDT achieves a 0.78% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.27% return.

IBDT

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: 0.27%
• YTD: 0.78%
• 6M: 1.15%
• 1Y: 4.55%
• 3Y*: 5.51%
• 5Y*: 1.39%
• 10Y*: —

TLT

• 1D: -0.40%
• 1M: 0.81%
• YTD: -0.27%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 4.93%
• 3Y*: -1.80%
• 5Y*: -6.31%
• 10Y*: -1.66%

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

IBDT vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IBDT iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF	0.78%	7.02%	3.97%	7.72%	-11.42%	-1.90%	9.62%	15.15%	1.19%
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	-0.27%	4.25%	-8.05%	2.77%	-31.23%	-4.60%	18.15%	14.12%	4.69%

Correlation

The correlation between IBDT and TLT is 0.59, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.59
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.73
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 21, 2018	0.65

The correlation between IBDT and TLT shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (1 year) to 0.74 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

IBDT vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank

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

IBDT

IBDT Risk / Return Rank: 88
IBDT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
IBDT Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
IBDT Omega Ratio Rank: 90
IBDT Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
IBDT Martin Ratio Rank: 89

TLT

TLT Risk / Return Rank: 16
TLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
TLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
TLT Omega Ratio Rank: 15
TLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
TLT Martin Ratio Rank: 16

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.

IBDT vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF (IBDT) 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.

	IBDT	TLT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.81	0.51	+2.31
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.50	0.80	+3.70
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.59	1.09	+0.50
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.44	0.65	+3.79
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	20.21	1.63	+18.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IBDT vs. TLT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IBDT Sharpe Ratio is 2.81, which is higher than the TLT Sharpe Ratio of 0.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IBDT and TLT, 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

	IBDT	TLT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.81	0.51	+2.31
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.28	-0.40	+0.68
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	-0.11	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.61	0.26	+0.36

Drawdowns

IBDT vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IBDT drawdown since its inception was -17.79%, smaller than the maximum TLT drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBDT and TLT.

Drawdown Indicators

	IBDT	TLT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.79%	-48.35%	+30.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.03%	-7.58%	+6.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.19%	-19.18%	+15.99%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.68%	-43.70%	+26.02%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-48.35%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.09%	-40.44%	+40.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.16%	-13.82%	+9.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.23%	3.04%	-2.81%

Volatility

IBDT vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF (IBDT) is 0.34%, while iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a volatility of 2.76%. This indicates that IBDT 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.

Volatility by Period

	IBDT	TLT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.34%	2.76%	-2.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.04%	6.50%	-5.46%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.62%	9.77%	-8.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.07%	15.87%	-10.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.37%	14.91%	-8.54%

IBDT vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison

IBDT has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than TLT's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IBDT vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison

IBDT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.55%, which matches TLT's 4.59% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IBDT iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF	4.55%	4.56%	4.67%	4.10%	3.25%	2.45%	2.80%	3.32%	1.47%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	4.59%	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

Can I hold both IBDT and TLT in my portfolio?

IBDT and TLT have a correlation of 0.59, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IBDT or TLT?

TLT has higher volatility (2.76%) compared to IBDT (0.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBDT dropped -17.79% vs TLT's -48.35%.

Which ETF is better, IBDT or TLT?

On 5-year performance, IBDT leads with 1.39% vs -6.31% for TLT. On fees, IBDT is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, IBDT has been the lower-risk option at 0.34%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IBDT or TLT?

Over the 5-year period, IBDT has performed better with a 1.39% return vs -6.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IBDT or TLT?

IBDT is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for TLT.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IBDT or TLT?

TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 4.55% for IBDT.

What is the main difference between IBDT and TLT?

IBDT is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while TLT is Government Bonds. IBDT tracks Bloomberg December 2028 Maturity Corporate Index, while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for IBDT and 0.15% for TLT.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IBDT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 0.51), 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.