LDSF vs. SGOV
LDSF (First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF) and SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LDSF is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by First Trust, while SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. LDSF is actively managed, while SGOV is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LDSF returned 2.41%/yr vs 3.58%/yr for SGOV. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LDSF charges 0.87%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SGOV.
Performance
LDSF vs. SGOV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LDSF achieves a 0.82% return, which is significantly lower than SGOV's 1.71% return.
LDSF
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.39%
- YTD
- 0.82%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 4.46%
- 3Y*
- 5.34%
- 5Y*
- 2.41%
- 10Y*
- —
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.71%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.92%
- 3Y*
- 4.68%
- 5Y*
- 3.58%
- 10Y*
- —
LDSF vs. SGOV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 0.82% | 6.82% | 4.20% | 6.53% | -5.47% | -0.28% | 2.97% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.71% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between LDSF and SGOV is -0.15, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2020 | 0.04 |
The correlation between LDSF and SGOV shifts across timeframes, from -0.15 (1 year) to 0.05 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
LDSF vs. SGOV — Risk / Return Rank
LDSF
SGOV
LDSF vs. SGOV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) 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.
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.
| LDSF | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -18.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -270.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.45 | 194.05 | -192.60 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.57 | 395.07 | -392.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.83 | 4,426.92 | -4,416.09 |
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Drawdowns
LDSF vs. SGOV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LDSF drawdown since its inception was -8.56%, which is greater than SGOV's maximum drawdown of -0.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LDSF and SGOV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LDSF | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.56% | -0.03% | -8.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.74% | -0.01% | -1.73% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.74% | -0.01% | -1.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.83% | -0.03% | -7.80% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.26% | 0.00% | -0.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.45% | -0.00% | -1.45% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.41% | 0.00% | +0.41% |
Volatility
LDSF vs. SGOV - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) has a higher volatility of 0.67% compared to iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) at 0.06%. This indicates that LDSF'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
| LDSF | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.67% | 0.06% | +0.61% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.71% | 0.13% | +1.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.05% | 0.19% | +1.86% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.09% | 0.24% | +2.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.17% | 0.24% | +2.93% |
LDSF vs. SGOV - Expense Ratio Comparison
LDSF has a 0.87% expense ratio, which is higher than SGOV's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
LDSF vs. SGOV - Dividend Comparison
LDSF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.63%, more than SGOV's 3.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 4.63% | 4.52% | 4.53% | 4.08% | 2.61% | 1.97% | 2.65% | 3.06% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.85% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LDSF and SGOV 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.
LDSF has higher volatility (0.67%) compared to SGOV (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LDSF dropped -8.56% vs SGOV's -0.03%.
On 5-year performance, SGOV leads with 3.58% vs 2.41% for LDSF. On fees, SGOV is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. 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 3.58% return vs 2.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.87% for LDSF.
LDSF has the higher dividend yield at 4.63%, compared with 3.85% for SGOV.
LDSF is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while SGOV is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.87% for LDSF and 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.32 vs 2.18), 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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