IMTB vs. IEI
IMTB (iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF) and IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury 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 IEI is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IMTB returned 0.58%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IEI. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IMTB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEI.
Performance
IMTB vs. IEI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IMTB achieves a 0.14% return, which is significantly higher than IEI's -0.33% return.
IMTB
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 0.13%
- YTD
- 0.14%
- 6M
- 0.49%
- 1Y
- 5.66%
- 3Y*
- 4.82%
- 5Y*
- 0.58%
- 10Y*
- —
IEI
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.13%
- YTD
- -0.33%
- 6M
- -0.22%
- 1Y
- 2.93%
- 3Y*
- 3.54%
- 5Y*
- 0.25%
- 10Y*
- 1.30%
IMTB vs. IEI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IMTB iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.14% | 8.88% | 1.94% | 6.10% | -12.75% | -1.41% | 6.25% | 8.62% | -0.45% | 4.88% |
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.33% | 6.96% | 1.81% | 4.42% | -9.51% | -2.54% | 6.95% | 5.71% | 1.36% | 1.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between IMTB and IEI 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 IMTB and IEI 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
IMTB vs. IEI — Risk / Return Rank
IMTB
IEI
IMTB vs. IEI - 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 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI). 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 | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.67 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.17 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.99 | 1.18 | +0.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.13 | 3.52 | +2.62 |
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 | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.41 | 0.98 | +0.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 | 0.05 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.33 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.70 | -0.33 |
Drawdowns
IMTB vs. IEI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IMTB drawdown since its inception was -18.15%, which is greater than IEI's maximum drawdown of -14.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IMTB and IEI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IMTB | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.15% | -14.60% | -3.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.86% | -2.50% | -0.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.80% | -3.66% | -3.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.11% | -13.88% | -4.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -14.60% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.58% | -1.76% | +0.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.13% | -2.67% | -1.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.92% | 0.84% | +0.08% |
Volatility
IMTB vs. IEI - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB) has a higher volatility of 1.46% compared to iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) at 0.91%. This indicates that IMTB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IMTB | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.46% | 0.91% | +0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.02% | 2.13% | +0.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.05% | 3.04% | +1.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.28% | 4.77% | +1.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.18% | 3.93% | +1.25% |
IMTB vs. IEI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IMTB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than IEI's 0.15% 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. IEI - Dividend Comparison
IMTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.52%, more than IEI's 3.64% 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 | 4.52% | 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
IMTB and IEI 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 (1.46%) compared to IEI (0.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IMTB dropped -18.15% vs IEI's -14.60%.
On 5-year performance, IMTB leads with 0.58% vs 0.25% for IEI. On fees, IMTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, IEI has been the lower-risk option at 0.91%. 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 0.58% return vs 0.25%. 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 4.52%, compared with 3.64% for IEI.
IMTB is categorized as Intermediate Core-Plus Bond, while IEI is Government Bonds. IMTB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Universal 5-10 Years Index, while IEI tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for IMTB and 0.15% for IEI.
IMTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.41 vs 0.98), 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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