ISTB vs. SGOV
ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) and SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ISTB is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD), while SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ISTB returned 1.85%/yr vs 3.54%/yr for SGOV. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ISTB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SGOV.
Performance
ISTB vs. SGOV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ISTB achieves a 0.49% return, which is significantly lower than SGOV's 1.51% return.
ISTB
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- 0.49%
- 6M
- 0.71%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- 1.85%
- 10Y*
- 2.27%
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.51%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 4.72%
- 5Y*
- 3.54%
- 10Y*
- —
ISTB vs. SGOV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.49% | 6.36% | 4.37% | 5.56% | -6.08% | -0.71% | 2.07% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.51% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between ISTB and SGOV is -0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2020 | 0.06 |
The correlation between ISTB and SGOV shifts across timeframes, from -0.08 (1 year) to 0.06 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ISTB vs. SGOV — Risk / Return Rank
ISTB
SGOV
ISTB vs. SGOV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) and iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV). 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.
| ISTB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -17.91 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -271.99 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.46 | 195.55 | -194.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.34 | 398.20 | -394.86 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.72 | 4,462.00 | -4,449.28 |
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
| ISTB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.37 | 20.28 | -17.91 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 | 14.73 | -14.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.91 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.84 | 12.48 | -11.65 |
Drawdowns
ISTB vs. SGOV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ISTB drawdown since its inception was -9.34%, which is greater than SGOV's maximum drawdown of -0.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISTB and SGOV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ISTB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.34% | -0.03% | -9.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.26% | -0.01% | -1.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.36% | -0.01% | -1.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.34% | -0.03% | -9.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.34% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.42% | 0.00% | -0.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.22% | -0.00% | -1.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.33% | 0.00% | +0.33% |
Volatility
ISTB vs. SGOV - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) has a higher volatility of 0.54% compared to iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) at 0.05%. This indicates that ISTB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGOV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ISTB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.54% | 0.05% | +0.49% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.28% | 0.13% | +1.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.77% | 0.20% | +1.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.79% | 0.24% | +2.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.51% | 0.24% | +2.27% |
ISTB vs. SGOV - Expense Ratio Comparison
ISTB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than SGOV's 0.09% 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
ISTB vs. SGOV - Dividend Comparison
ISTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.25%, more than SGOV's 3.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.25% | 4.12% | 3.83% | 2.97% | 2.01% | 1.69% | 2.20% | 2.75% | 2.57% | 2.06% | 1.90% | 1.58% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.86% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ISTB and SGOV have a correlation of -0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ISTB has higher volatility (0.54%) compared to SGOV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISTB dropped -9.34% vs SGOV's -0.03%.
On 5-year performance, SGOV leads with 3.54% vs 1.85% for ISTB. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SGOV has performed better with a 3.54% return vs 1.85%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for SGOV.
ISTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.25%, compared with 3.86% for SGOV.
ISTB is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while SGOV is Ultrashort Bond. ISTB tracks BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD), while SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for ISTB and 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 2.37), 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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