IEI vs. LVHD
IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and LVHD (Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IEI is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while LVHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEI returned 1.24%/yr vs 8.41%/yr for LVHD. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IEI charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for LVHD.
Performance
IEI vs. LVHD - 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 LVHD's 10.95% return. Over the past 10 years, IEI has underperformed LVHD with an annualized return of 1.24%, while LVHD has yielded a comparatively higher 8.41% 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%
LVHD
- 1D
- 0.64%
- 1M
- 3.86%
- YTD
- 10.95%
- 6M
- 10.48%
- 1Y
- 13.29%
- 3Y*
- 10.12%
- 5Y*
- 6.90%
- 10Y*
- 8.41%
IEI vs. LVHD - 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% |
LVHD Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 10.95% | 7.50% | 10.18% | -0.95% | -1.82% | 26.90% | -1.28% | 22.91% | -5.58% | 14.25% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEI and LVHD is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 29, 2015 | 0.05 |
Over the past year, IEI and LVHD have become more correlated (0.27) than their long-term average of 0.05, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IEI vs. LVHD — Risk / Return Rank
IEI
LVHD
IEI vs. LVHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) and Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD). 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 | LVHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.37 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.23 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 2.16 | -0.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.35 | 5.43 | -2.08 |
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Drawdowns
IEI vs. LVHD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEI drawdown since its inception was -14.60%, smaller than the maximum LVHD drawdown of -37.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEI and LVHD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEI | LVHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.60% | -37.32% | +22.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.50% | -6.17% | +3.67% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -3.66% | -14.29% | +10.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.88% | -16.75% | +2.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.60% | -37.32% | +22.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.74% | -1.07% | -0.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.67% | -4.04% | +1.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.89% | 2.46% | -1.57% |
Volatility
IEI vs. LVHD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) is 0.98%, while Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) has a volatility of 3.54%. This indicates that IEI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LVHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IEI | LVHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.98% | 3.54% | -2.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.18% | 6.96% | -4.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.00% | 9.77% | -6.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.78% | 12.91% | -8.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.93% | 15.52% | -11.59% |
IEI vs. LVHD - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEI has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than LVHD's 0.27% 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
IEI vs. LVHD - Dividend Comparison
IEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, more than LVHD's 3.27% 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% |
LVHD Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 3.27% | 3.35% | 4.23% | 3.55% | 3.30% | 2.56% | 3.27% | 3.30% | 3.82% | 3.33% | 2.48% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEI and LVHD have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LVHD has higher volatility (3.54%) compared to IEI (0.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEI dropped -14.60% vs LVHD's -37.32%.
On 10-year performance, LVHD leads with 8.41% vs 1.24% for IEI. On fees, IEI is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IEI has been the lower-risk option at 0.98%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, LVHD has performed better with a 8.41% return vs 1.24%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEI is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.27% for LVHD.
IEI has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 3.27% for LVHD.
IEI is categorized as Government Bonds, while LVHD is Dividend. IEI tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while LVHD tracks Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Franklin Templeton. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for IEI and 0.27% for LVHD.
LVHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.37 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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