ITDJ vs. BILS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ITDJ (iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF) and BILS (SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITDJ is a Target Retirement Date fund actively managed by iShares, while BILS is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg 3-12 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. ITDJ is actively managed, while BILS is passively managed. Over the past year, ITDJ returned 29.01% vs 3.90% for BILS. At a correlation of -0.07, they often move in opposite directions. ITDJ charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BILS.

Performance

ITDJ vs. BILS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF (ITDJ) and SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF (BILS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ITDJ achieves a 12.11% return, which is significantly higher than BILS's 1.40% return.

ITDJ

• 1D: -0.81%
• 1M: 4.82%
• YTD: 12.11%
• 6M: 13.07%
• 1Y: 29.01%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BILS

• 1D: -0.01%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.40%
• 6M: 1.73%
• 1Y: 3.90%
• 3Y*: 4.66%
• 5Y*: 3.29%
• 10Y*: —

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

ITDJ vs. BILS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ITDJ iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF	12.11%	22.02%	-1.70%
BILS SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF	1.40%	4.23%	0.63%

Correlation

The correlation between ITDJ and BILS is 0.00, 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	0.00
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 14, 2024	-0.07

Return for Risk

ITDJ vs. BILS — Risk / Return Rank

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

ITDJ

ITDJ Risk / Return Rank: 69
ITDJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ITDJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
ITDJ Omega Ratio Rank: 70
ITDJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
ITDJ Martin Ratio Rank: 72

BILS

BILS Risk / Return Rank: 100
BILS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
BILS Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
BILS Omega Ratio Rank: 100
BILS Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
BILS Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

ITDJ vs. BILS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF (ITDJ) and SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF (BILS). 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.

	ITDJ	BILS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.28	16.80	-14.51
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.16	100.82	-97.67
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	42.08	-40.66
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.02	129.91	-126.89
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.33	1,442.41	-1,429.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ITDJ vs. BILS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ITDJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.28, which is lower than the BILS Sharpe Ratio of 16.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ITDJ and BILS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ITDJ	BILS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.28	16.80	-14.51
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	10.79	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.32	9.79	-8.48

Drawdowns

ITDJ vs. BILS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ITDJ drawdown since its inception was -16.63%, which is greater than BILS's maximum drawdown of -0.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITDJ and BILS.

Drawdown Indicators

	ITDJ	BILS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-16.63%	-0.41%	-16.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.65%	-0.03%	-9.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-0.04%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-0.38%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.81%	-0.01%	-0.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.91%	-0.04%	-1.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.18%	0.00%	+2.18%

Volatility

ITDJ vs. BILS - Volatility Comparison

iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF (ITDJ) has a higher volatility of 3.90% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF (BILS) at 0.06%. This indicates that ITDJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BILS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ITDJ	BILS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.90%	0.06%	+3.84%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.29%	0.14%	+10.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.78%	0.23%	+12.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.18%	0.31%	+15.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.18%	0.30%	+15.88%

ITDJ vs. BILS - Expense Ratio Comparison

ITDJ has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than BILS's 0.14% 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

ITDJ vs. BILS - Dividend Comparison

ITDJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, less than BILS's 3.81% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
BILS SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF	3.81%	4.08%	5.01%	4.98%	1.61%
ITDJ iShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF	1.25%	1.40%	0.82%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ITDJ and BILS in my portfolio?

ITDJ and BILS have a correlation of 0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ITDJ or BILS?

ITDJ has higher volatility (3.90%) compared to BILS (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITDJ dropped -16.63% vs BILS's -0.41%.

Which ETF is better, ITDJ or BILS?

On 1-year performance, ITDJ leads with 29.01% vs 3.90% for BILS. On fees, ITDJ is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, BILS has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ITDJ or BILS?

Over the 1-year period, ITDJ has performed better with a 29.01% return vs 3.90%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ITDJ or BILS?

ITDJ is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.14% for BILS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ITDJ or BILS?

BILS has the higher dividend yield at 3.81%, compared with 1.25% for ITDJ.

What is the main difference between ITDJ and BILS?

ITDJ is categorized as Target Retirement Date, while BILS is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for ITDJ and 0.14% for BILS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BILS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (16.80 vs 2.28), 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.