IEI vs. SPXB

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and SPXB (ProShares S&P 500 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 SPXB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the S&P 500 MarketAxess Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. A 0.60 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.

Performance

IEI vs. SPXB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) and ProShares S&P 500 Bond ETF (SPXB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

IEI

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: -0.17%
• YTD: -0.42%
• 6M: -0.49%
• 1Y: 3.28%
• 3Y*: 3.52%
• 5Y*: 0.23%
• 10Y*: 1.28%

SPXB

• 1D: —
• 1M: —
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IEI vs. SPXB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF	-0.42%	6.96%	1.81%	4.42%	-9.51%	-2.54%	6.95%	5.71%	3.07%
SPXB ProShares S&P 500 Bond ETF	0.00%	0.00%	-3.45%	8.83%	-16.66%	-1.89%	10.33%	15.34%	1.13%

Correlation

The correlation between IEI and SPXB is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.48
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 4, 2018	0.60

The correlation between IEI and SPXB shifts across timeframes, from 0.48 (3 years) to 0.64 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

IEI vs. SPXB — Risk / Return Rank

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

IEI

IEI Risk / Return Rank: 28
IEI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
IEI Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
IEI Omega Ratio Rank: 27
IEI Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
IEI Martin Ratio Rank: 27

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.

IEI vs. SPXB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) and ProShares S&P 500 Bond ETF (SPXB). 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	SPXB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.09	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.65	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.32	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.96	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IEI	SPXB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.09	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.05	—	—
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	—	—

Drawdowns

Drawdown Indicators

	IEI	SPXB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.60%	—	—
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.50%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.66%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.88%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-14.60%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.85%	—	—
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.67%	—	—
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.83%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	IEI	SPXB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.91%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.13%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.04%	—	—
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.77%	—	—
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.93%	—	—

IEI vs. SPXB - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IEI and SPXB have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IEI vs. SPXB - Dividend Comparison

IEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, while SPXB has not paid dividends to shareholders.

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%
SPXB ProShares S&P 500 Bond ETF	0.00%	0.00%	1.22%	4.04%	3.14%	2.00%	2.64%	3.48%	2.52%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IEI and SPXB in my portfolio?

IEI and SPXB have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IEI or SPXB?

Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IEI or SPXB?

IEI and SPXB have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IEI or SPXB?

IEI has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 0.00% for SPXB.

What is the main difference between IEI and SPXB?

IEI is categorized as Government Bonds, while SPXB is Corporate Bonds. IEI tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index, while SPXB tracks S&P 500 MarketAxess Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and ProShares.