ISHG vs. VGIT
ISHG (iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF) and VGIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ISHG is a International Government Bonds fund tracking the S&P/Citigroup International Treasury Bond Index Ex-US 1-3 Year, while VGIT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ISHG returned -0.18%/yr vs 1.13%/yr for VGIT. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ISHG charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGIT.
Performance
ISHG vs. VGIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ISHG achieves a -1.21% return, which is significantly lower than VGIT's -0.41% return. Over the past 10 years, ISHG has underperformed VGIT with an annualized return of -0.18%, while VGIT has yielded a comparatively higher 1.13% annualized return.
ISHG
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- -1.04%
- 6M
- -0.60%
- YTD
- -1.21%
- 1Y
- -0.54%
- 3Y*
- 3.44%
- 5Y*
- -0.95%
- 10Y*
- -0.18%
VGIT
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- -0.12%
- 6M
- -0.43%
- YTD
- -0.41%
- 1Y
- 2.84%
- 3Y*
- 3.91%
- 5Y*
- -0.04%
- 10Y*
- 1.13%
ISHG vs. VGIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISHG iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF | -1.21% | 13.31% | -4.16% | 3.76% | -10.95% | -7.05% | 7.47% | -0.64% | -3.54% | 10.91% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.41% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
Correlation
The correlation between ISHG and VGIT is 0.53, 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 | 0.53 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.25 |
Over the past year, ISHG and VGIT have become more correlated (0.53) than their long-term average of 0.25, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
ISHG vs. VGIT — Risk / Return Rank
ISHG
VGIT
ISHG vs. VGIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF (ISHG) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT). 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.
| ISHG | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.91 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.13 | -0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.17 | 0.92 | -1.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.37 | 2.36 | -2.74 |
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Drawdowns
ISHG vs. VGIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ISHG drawdown since its inception was -37.24%, which is greater than VGIT's maximum drawdown of -16.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISHG and VGIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ISHG | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.24% | -16.05% | -21.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.02% | -2.83% | -2.19% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.21% | -4.34% | -3.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.29% | -15.02% | -7.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -25.56% | -16.05% | -9.51% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -23.17% | -2.34% | -20.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.46% | -3.51% | -14.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.29% | 1.10% | +1.19% |
Volatility
ISHG vs. VGIT - Volatility Comparison
iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF (ISHG) has a higher volatility of 1.58% compared to Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) at 1.15%. This indicates that ISHG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ISHG | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.58% | 1.15% | +0.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.92% | 2.54% | +2.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.49% | 3.37% | +3.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.59% | 5.39% | +2.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.91% | 4.49% | +2.42% |
ISHG vs. VGIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
ISHG has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than VGIT's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
ISHG vs. VGIT - Dividend Comparison
ISHG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.47%, less than VGIT's 3.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISHG iShares 1-3 Year International Treasury Bond ETF | 1.47% | 1.45% | 2.56% | 0.18% | 0.00% | 1.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.80% | 0.46% | 0.00% | 0.09% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.88% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ISHG and VGIT have a correlation of 0.53, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ISHG has higher volatility (1.58%) compared to VGIT (1.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISHG dropped -37.24% vs VGIT's -16.05%.
On 10-year performance, VGIT leads with 1.13% vs -0.18% for ISHG. On fees, VGIT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGIT has been the lower-risk option at 1.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VGIT has performed better with a 1.13% return vs -0.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGIT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for ISHG.
VGIT has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 1.47% for ISHG.
ISHG is categorized as International Government Bonds, while VGIT is Government Bonds. ISHG tracks S&P/Citigroup International Treasury Bond Index Ex-US 1-3 Year, while VGIT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for ISHG and 0.03% for VGIT.
VGIT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.77 vs -0.13), 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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