IEI vs. IMTB
IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and IMTB (iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IEI is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while IMTB is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Universal 5-10 Years Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IEI returned 0.31%/yr vs 0.61%/yr for IMTB. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IEI charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for IMTB.
Performance
IEI vs. IMTB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEI achieves a -0.29% return, which is significantly lower than IMTB's 0.28% return.
IEI
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- -0.27%
- YTD
- -0.29%
- 6M
- -0.24%
- 1Y
- 3.33%
- 3Y*
- 3.57%
- 5Y*
- 0.31%
- 10Y*
- 1.29%
IMTB
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.01%
- YTD
- 0.28%
- 6M
- 0.54%
- 1Y
- 6.33%
- 3Y*
- 4.86%
- 5Y*
- 0.61%
- 10Y*
- —
IEI vs. IMTB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.29% | 6.96% | 1.81% | 4.42% | -9.51% | -2.54% | 6.95% | 5.71% | 1.36% | 1.22% |
IMTB iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.28% | 8.88% | 1.94% | 6.10% | -12.75% | -1.41% | 6.25% | 8.62% | -0.45% | 4.88% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEI and IMTB 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 | 0.90 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 2016 | 0.79 |
The correlation between IEI and IMTB shifts across timeframes, from 0.79 (all time) to 0.91 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IEI vs. IMTB — Risk / Return Rank
IEI
IMTB
IEI vs. IMTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) and iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB). 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.
| IEI | IMTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.10 | 1.58 | -0.47 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.67 | 2.40 | -0.73 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.28 | -0.09 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.25 | 2.14 | -0.89 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.78 | 6.69 | -2.91 |
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
| IEI | IMTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.10 | 1.58 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.10 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.70 | 0.37 | +0.33 |
Drawdowns
IEI vs. IMTB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEI drawdown since its inception was -14.60%, smaller than the maximum IMTB drawdown of -18.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEI and IMTB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEI | IMTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.60% | -18.15% | +3.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.50% | -2.86% | +0.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -3.66% | -6.80% | +3.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.88% | -18.11% | +4.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.60% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.73% | -1.44% | -0.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.67% | -4.13% | +1.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.82% | 0.91% | -0.09% |
Volatility
IEI vs. IMTB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) is 0.92%, while iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB) has a volatility of 1.43%. This indicates that IEI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IMTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IEI | IMTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.92% | 1.43% | -0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.15% | 3.02% | -0.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.04% | 4.04% | -1.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.77% | 6.28% | -1.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.93% | 5.18% | -1.25% |
IEI vs. IMTB - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEI has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than IMTB's 0.06% 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. IMTB - Dividend Comparison
IEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, less than IMTB's 4.51% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
IMTB iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.51% | 4.40% | 4.42% | 4.13% | 2.90% | 2.49% | 2.63% | 2.91% | 3.04% | 2.75% | 0.40% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEI and IMTB 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.
IMTB has higher volatility (1.43%) compared to IEI (0.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEI dropped -14.60% vs IMTB's -18.15%.
On 5-year performance, IMTB leads with 0.61% vs 0.31% for IEI. On fees, IMTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, IEI has been the lower-risk option at 0.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IMTB has performed better with a 0.61% return vs 0.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IMTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for IEI.
IMTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.51%, compared with 3.64% for IEI.
IEI is categorized as Government Bonds, while IMTB is Intermediate Core-Plus Bond. IEI tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while IMTB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Universal 5-10 Years Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for IEI and 0.06% for IMTB.
IMTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.58 vs 1.10), 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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