IMTB vs. FALN
IMTB (iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF) and FALN (iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IMTB is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Universal 5-10 Years Index, while FALN is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US High Yield Fallen Angel 3% Capped Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IMTB returned 0.55%/yr vs 3.78%/yr for FALN. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IMTB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for FALN.
Performance
IMTB vs. FALN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IMTB achieves a -0.02% return, which is significantly lower than FALN's 1.56% return.
IMTB
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- -0.07%
- YTD
- -0.02%
- 6M
- 0.07%
- 1Y
- 5.97%
- 3Y*
- 4.75%
- 5Y*
- 0.55%
- 10Y*
- —
FALN
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.68%
- YTD
- 1.56%
- 6M
- 1.36%
- 1Y
- 8.66%
- 3Y*
- 9.18%
- 5Y*
- 3.78%
- 10Y*
- —
IMTB vs. FALN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IMTB iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | -0.02% | 8.88% | 1.94% | 6.10% | -12.75% | -1.41% | 6.25% | 8.62% | -0.45% | 4.88% |
FALN iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF | 1.56% | 8.92% | 7.68% | 13.47% | -13.79% | 5.40% | 14.85% | 17.42% | -4.97% | 8.70% |
Correlation
The correlation between IMTB and FALN is 0.63, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 2016 | 0.39 |
Over the past year, IMTB and FALN have become more correlated (0.63) than their long-term average of 0.39, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IMTB vs. FALN — Risk / Return Rank
IMTB
FALN
IMTB vs. FALN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB) and iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN). 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.
| IMTB | FALN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.52 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.37 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.10 | 2.20 | -0.10 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.51 | 9.17 | -2.66 |
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
| IMTB | FALN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 1.91 | -0.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 | 0.52 | -0.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.74 | -0.38 |
Drawdowns
IMTB vs. FALN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IMTB drawdown since its inception was -18.15%, smaller than the maximum FALN drawdown of -29.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IMTB and FALN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IMTB | FALN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.15% | -29.22% | +11.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.86% | -3.96% | +1.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.80% | -5.92% | -0.88% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.11% | -18.78% | +0.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.74% | -0.26% | -1.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.13% | -3.32% | -0.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.92% | 0.95% | -0.03% |
Volatility
IMTB vs. FALN - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB) has a higher volatility of 1.45% compared to iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN) at 1.38%. This indicates that IMTB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FALN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IMTB | FALN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.45% | 1.38% | +0.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.02% | 3.64% | -0.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.05% | 4.54% | -0.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.28% | 7.31% | -1.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.18% | 8.95% | -3.77% |
IMTB vs. FALN - Expense Ratio Comparison
IMTB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than FALN's 0.25% 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
IMTB vs. FALN - Dividend Comparison
IMTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.52%, less than FALN's 6.46% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FALN iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF | 6.46% | 6.31% | 6.24% | 5.37% | 5.08% | 3.40% | 5.14% | 5.35% | 5.97% | 6.98% | 3.55% |
IMTB iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.52% | 4.40% | 4.42% | 4.13% | 2.90% | 2.49% | 2.63% | 2.91% | 3.04% | 2.75% | 0.40% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IMTB and FALN have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IMTB has higher volatility (1.45%) compared to FALN (1.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IMTB dropped -18.15% vs FALN's -29.22%.
On 5-year performance, FALN leads with 3.78% vs 0.55% for IMTB. On fees, IMTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FALN has performed better with a 3.78% return vs 0.55%. 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 0.25% for FALN.
FALN has the higher dividend yield at 6.46%, compared with 4.52% for IMTB.
IMTB is categorized as Intermediate Core-Plus Bond, while FALN is High Yield Bonds. IMTB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Universal 5-10 Years Index, while FALN tracks Bloomberg US High Yield Fallen Angel 3% Capped Index. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for IMTB and 0.25% for FALN.
FALN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.91 vs 1.48), 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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