IEI vs. FSSNX
IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and FSSNX (Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund) are both funds - IEI is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while FSSNX is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEI returned 1.24%/yr vs 11.30%/yr for FSSNX. At a correlation of -0.16, they often move in opposite directions. IEI charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for FSSNX.
Performance
IEI vs. FSSNX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEI achieves a -0.30% return, which is significantly lower than FSSNX's 18.33% return. Over the past 10 years, IEI has underperformed FSSNX with an annualized return of 1.24%, while FSSNX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.30% annualized return.
IEI
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- -0.00%
- YTD
- -0.30%
- 6M
- -0.00%
- 1Y
- 2.97%
- 3Y*
- 3.77%
- 5Y*
- 0.21%
- 10Y*
- 1.24%
FSSNX
- 1D
- 3.04%
- 1M
- 2.84%
- YTD
- 18.33%
- 6M
- 15.24%
- 1Y
- 38.39%
- 3Y*
- 17.71%
- 5Y*
- 6.13%
- 10Y*
- 11.30%
IEI vs. FSSNX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.30% | 6.96% | 1.81% | 4.42% | -9.51% | -2.54% | 6.95% | 5.71% | 1.36% | 1.22% |
FSSNX Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund | 18.33% | 12.94% | 11.71% | 17.11% | -20.28% | 14.70% | 19.99% | 25.70% | -11.24% | 14.54% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEI and FSSNX is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2011 | -0.16 |
The correlation between IEI and FSSNX shifts across timeframes, from -0.16 (all time) to 0.23 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IEI vs. FSSNX — Risk / Return Rank
IEI
FSSNX
IEI vs. FSSNX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) and Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund (FSSNX). 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.
| IEI | FSSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.32 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 3.46 | -2.26 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.35 | 12.23 | -8.88 |
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Drawdowns
IEI vs. FSSNX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEI drawdown since its inception was -14.60%, smaller than the maximum FSSNX drawdown of -41.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEI and FSSNX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEI | FSSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.60% | -41.72% | +27.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.50% | -11.00% | +8.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -3.66% | -27.45% | +23.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.88% | -31.87% | +17.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.60% | -41.72% | +27.12% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.74% | -0.46% | -1.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.67% | -8.28% | +5.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.89% | 3.11% | -2.22% |
Volatility
IEI vs. FSSNX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) is 0.98%, while Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund (FSSNX) has a volatility of 7.09%. This indicates that IEI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FSSNX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IEI | FSSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.98% | 7.09% | -6.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.18% | 14.37% | -12.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.00% | 19.71% | -16.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.78% | 22.68% | -17.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.93% | 23.49% | -19.56% |
IEI vs. FSSNX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEI has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than FSSNX's 0.03% 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
IEI vs. FSSNX - Dividend Comparison
IEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, more than FSSNX's 0.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSSNX Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund | 0.92% | 1.08% | 1.04% | 1.43% | 1.26% | 3.92% | 0.94% | 2.96% | 4.94% | 3.37% | 2.27% | 2.66% |
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.64% | 3.48% | 3.18% | 2.36% | 1.37% | 0.73% | 1.12% | 2.01% | 1.95% | 1.51% | 1.33% | 1.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEI and FSSNX have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FSSNX has higher volatility (7.09%) compared to IEI (0.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEI dropped -14.60% vs FSSNX's -41.72%.
FSSNX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.93 vs 1.00), 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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