KDEF vs. IEF
KDEF (PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - KDEF is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the The Korea Defence Industry Index, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, KDEF returned 23.84% vs 3.78% for IEF. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KDEF charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
KDEF vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KDEF achieves a 10.00% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -0.47% return.
KDEF
- 1D
- 1.61%
- 1M
- -9.85%
- YTD
- 10.00%
- 6M
- 13.24%
- 1Y
- 23.84%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IEF
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 1.05%
- YTD
- -0.47%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- 1Y
- 3.78%
- 3Y*
- 2.86%
- 5Y*
- -1.24%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
KDEF vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 10.00% | 116.28% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.47% | 7.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between KDEF and IEF 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 (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 5, 2025 | 0.06 |
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Return for Risk
KDEF vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
KDEF
IEF
KDEF vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| KDEF | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.12 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.78 | 0.84 | -0.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.48 | 2.35 | +0.13 |
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Drawdowns
KDEF vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KDEF drawdown since its inception was -35.55%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KDEF and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KDEF | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.55% | -23.93% | -11.62% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.55% | -4.07% | -31.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -7.74% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -21.40% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -23.93% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.83% | -11.18% | -15.65% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.96% | -5.35% | -1.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.09% | 1.45% | +9.64% |
Volatility
KDEF vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) has a higher volatility of 18.52% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.62%. This indicates that KDEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| KDEF | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 18.52% | 1.62% | +16.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.55% | 3.42% | +35.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 46.43% | 4.72% | +41.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 47.55% | 7.71% | +39.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 47.55% | 6.63% | +40.92% |
KDEF vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
KDEF has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
KDEF vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
KDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.25%, more than IEF's 3.89% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.89% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 6.25% | 5.06% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
KDEF and IEF 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.
KDEF has higher volatility (18.52%) compared to IEF (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KDEF dropped -35.55% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 1-year performance, KDEF leads with 23.84% vs 3.78% for IEF. On fees, IEF is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, KDEF has performed better with a 23.84% return vs 3.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEF is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for KDEF.
KDEF has the higher dividend yield at 6.25%, compared with 3.89% for IEF.
KDEF is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while IEF is Government Bonds. KDEF tracks The Korea Defence Industry Index, while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: PLUS and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for KDEF and 0.15% for IEF.
IEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.72 vs 0.60), 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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