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IUSG vs. TLT
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

IUSG vs. TLT

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IUSG (iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IUSG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Growth Index, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IUSG returned 17.88%/yr vs -1.66%/yr for TLT. At a correlation of -0.23, they often move in opposite directions. IUSG charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.

Performance

IUSG vs. TLT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IUSG achieves a 14.08% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.27% return. Over the past 10 years, IUSG has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 17.88%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.66% annualized return.

IUSG

1D
-0.89%
1M
7.35%
YTD
14.08%
6M
13.91%
1Y
33.89%
3Y*
27.59%
5Y*
15.69%
10Y*
17.88%

TLT

1D
-0.40%
1M
0.81%
YTD
-0.27%
6M
-2.02%
1Y
4.93%
3Y*
-1.80%
5Y*
-6.31%
10Y*
-1.66%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IUSG vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
IUSG
iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF		14.08%21.23%34.70%29.28%-28.81%31.26%32.65%30.62%-0.79%27.02%
TLT
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF		-0.27%4.25%-8.05%2.77%-31.23%-4.60%18.15%14.12%-1.61%9.18%

Correlation

The correlation between IUSG and TLT is 0.15, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.15

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.13

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.06

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

-0.05

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 29, 2002

-0.23

The correlation between IUSG and TLT shifts across timeframes, from -0.23 (all time) to 0.15 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF

Often compared with IUSG:
IUSG vs. IUSVIUSG vs. SCHGIUSG vs. VUGIUSG vs. QQQIUSG vs. IVWIUSG vs. IVVIUSG vs. VOOG
Often compared with TLT:
TLT vs. SPYTLT vs. IEFTLT vs. TMFTLT vs. BNDTLT vs. VGLTTLT vs. TLTWTLT vs. EDV

Return for Risk

IUSG vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
IUSG
IUSG Risk / Return Rank: 5959
Overall Rank
IUSG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6464
Sharpe Ratio Rank
IUSG Sortino Ratio Rank: 6161
Sortino Ratio Rank
IUSG Omega Ratio Rank: 6060
Omega Ratio Rank
IUSG Calmar Ratio Rank: 5252
Calmar Ratio Rank
IUSG Martin Ratio Rank: 6161
Martin Ratio Rank
TLT
TLT Risk / Return Rank: 1616
Overall Rank
TLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1616
Sharpe Ratio Rank
TLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 1515
Sortino Ratio Rank
TLT Omega Ratio Rank: 1515
Omega Ratio Rank
TLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 1717
Calmar Ratio Rank
TLT Martin Ratio Rank: 1616
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

IUSG vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). 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.

IUSGTLTDifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
2.17
0.51

+1.66

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
2.93
0.80

+2.13

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.37

1.09

+0.28

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

2.61

0.65

+1.95

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

11.09

1.63

+9.46

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUSG vs. TLT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUSG Sharpe Ratio is 2.17, which is higher than the TLT Sharpe Ratio of 0.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUSG and TLT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

IUSGTLTDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

2.17

0.51

+1.66

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.76

-0.40

+1.16

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.88

-0.11

+0.99

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.38

0.26

+0.13

Drawdowns

IUSG vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUSG drawdown since its inception was -63.41%, which is greater than TLT's maximum drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUSG and TLT.

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Drawdown Indicators

IUSGTLTDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-63.41%

-48.35%

-15.06%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-13.07%

-7.58%

-5.49%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-22.28%

-19.18%

-3.10%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-32.21%

-43.70%

+11.49%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-32.35%

-48.35%

+16.00%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.98%

-40.44%

+39.46%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-21.44%

-13.82%

-7.62%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

3.06%

3.04%

+0.02%

Volatility

IUSG vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) has a higher volatility of 4.23% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.76%. This indicates that IUSG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

IUSGTLTDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.23%

2.76%

+1.47%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

12.23%

6.50%

+5.73%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

15.72%

9.77%

+5.95%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

20.87%

15.87%

+5.00%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

20.40%

14.91%

+5.49%

IUSG vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison

IUSG has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than TLT'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

IUSG vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison

IUSG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.47%, less than TLT's 4.59% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
IUSG
iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF		0.47%0.53%0.59%1.12%1.07%0.59%0.93%1.64%1.32%1.28%1.48%1.29%
TLT
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF		4.59%4.43%4.30%3.38%2.67%1.50%1.50%2.27%2.63%2.43%2.60%2.61%

Frequently Asked Questions

IUSG and TLT have a correlation of 0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

IUSG has higher volatility (4.23%) compared to TLT (2.76%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IUSG dropped -63.41% vs TLT's -48.35%.

On 10-year performance, IUSG leads with 17.88% vs -1.66% for TLT. On fees, IUSG is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, TLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.76%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Over the 10-year period, IUSG has performed better with a 17.88% return vs -1.66%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

IUSG is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for TLT.

TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 0.47% for IUSG.

IUSG is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while TLT is Government Bonds. IUSG tracks Russell 3000 Growth Index, while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for IUSG and 0.15% for TLT.

IUSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.17 vs 0.51), 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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