IBTJ vs. IBDU

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

IBTJ (iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF) and IBDU (iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IBTJ is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE 2029 Maturity US Treasury Index, while IBDU is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg December 2029 Maturity Corporate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IBTJ returned 0.09%/yr vs 1.41%/yr for IBDU. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IBTJ charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for IBDU.

Performance

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) and iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF (IBDU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IBTJ achieves a 0.04% return, which is significantly lower than IBDU's 0.67% return.

IBTJ

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: -0.19%
• YTD: 0.04%
• 6M: 0.24%
• 1Y: 3.54%
• 3Y*: 3.55%
• 5Y*: 0.09%
• 10Y*: —

IBDU

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.12%
• YTD: 0.67%
• 6M: 1.10%
• 1Y: 4.86%
• 3Y*: 5.78%
• 5Y*: 1.41%
• 10Y*: —

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

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF	0.04%	6.89%	1.82%	4.49%	-12.45%	-3.57%	3.50%
IBDU iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF	0.67%	7.59%	3.62%	8.67%	-13.04%	-2.05%	6.44%

Correlation

The correlation between IBTJ and IBDU is 0.88, 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	0.88
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 2, 2020	0.80

The correlation between IBTJ and IBDU shifts across timeframes, from 0.80 (all time) to 0.91 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

IBTJ vs. IBDU — Risk / Return Rank

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

IBTJ

IBTJ Risk / Return Rank: 41
IBTJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
IBTJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
IBTJ Omega Ratio Rank: 41
IBTJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
IBTJ Martin Ratio Rank: 38

IBDU

IBDU Risk / Return Rank: 66
IBDU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
IBDU Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
IBDU Omega Ratio Rank: 68
IBDU Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
IBDU Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) and iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF (IBDU). 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.

	IBTJ	IBDU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.46	2.16	-0.70
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.28	3.36	-1.08
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.42	-0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.09	3.04	-0.95
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.09	11.47	-5.38
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IBTJ Sharpe Ratio is 1.46, which is lower than the IBDU Sharpe Ratio of 2.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IBTJ and IBDU, 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

	IBTJ	IBDU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.46	2.16	-0.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.01	0.25	-0.23
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.02	0.33	-0.35

Drawdowns

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IBTJ drawdown since its inception was -20.19%, roughly equal to the maximum IBDU drawdown of -19.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBTJ and IBDU.

Drawdown Indicators

	IBTJ	IBDU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.19%	-19.44%	-0.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.62%	-1.59%	-0.03%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.47%	-4.14%	-0.33%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.21%	-19.44%	+2.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.17%	-0.41%	-5.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.73%	-5.41%	-4.32%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.56%	0.42%	+0.14%

Volatility

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Volatility Comparison

iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) has a higher volatility of 0.66% compared to iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF (IBDU) at 0.58%. This indicates that IBTJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBDU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IBTJ	IBDU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.66%	0.58%	+0.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.57%	1.50%	+0.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.43%	2.26%	+0.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.74%	5.72%	+0.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.99%	7.32%	-1.33%

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Expense Ratio Comparison

IBTJ has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than IBDU's 0.10% 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

IBTJ vs. IBDU - Dividend Comparison

IBTJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.80%, less than IBDU's 4.66% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
IBDU iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF	4.66%	4.67%	4.75%	4.21%	3.34%	2.29%	2.42%	0.74%
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF	3.80%	3.78%	3.95%	3.48%	1.86%	0.74%	0.61%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IBTJ and IBDU in my portfolio?

IBTJ and IBDU have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IBTJ or IBDU?

IBTJ has higher volatility (0.66%) compared to IBDU (0.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBTJ dropped -20.19% vs IBDU's -19.44%.

Which ETF is better, IBTJ or IBDU?

On 5-year performance, IBDU leads with 1.41% vs 0.09% for IBTJ. On fees, IBTJ is cheaper at 0.07% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IBTJ or IBDU?

Over the 5-year period, IBDU has performed better with a 1.41% return vs 0.09%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IBTJ or IBDU?

IBTJ is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for IBDU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IBTJ or IBDU?

IBDU has the higher dividend yield at 4.66%, compared with 3.80% for IBTJ.

What is the main difference between IBTJ and IBDU?

IBTJ is categorized as Government Bonds, while IBDU is Corporate Bonds. IBTJ tracks ICE 2029 Maturity US Treasury Index, while IBDU tracks Bloomberg December 2029 Maturity Corporate Index. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for IBTJ and 0.10% for IBDU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IBDU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.46), 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.