LQD vs. AGG
LQD (iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LQD is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, LQD returned 2.41%/yr vs 1.52%/yr for AGG. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. LQD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
LQD vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQD achieves a -0.06% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's -0.08% return. Over the past 10 years, LQD has outperformed AGG with an annualized return of 2.41%, while AGG has yielded a comparatively lower 1.52% annualized return.
LQD
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -0.67%
- YTD
- -0.06%
- 6M
- -0.06%
- 1Y
- 5.73%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- -0.28%
- 10Y*
- 2.41%
AGG
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.69%
- YTD
- -0.08%
- 6M
- 0.26%
- 1Y
- 4.97%
- 3Y*
- 3.88%
- 5Y*
- -0.03%
- 10Y*
- 1.52%
LQD vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | -0.06% | 7.90% | 0.86% | 9.40% | -17.92% | -1.84% | 10.97% | 17.37% | -3.79% | 7.06% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | -0.08% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 0.09% | 3.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQD and AGG is 0.95 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2003 | 0.80 |
The correlation between LQD and AGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.80 (all time) to 0.96 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
LQD vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
LQD
AGG
LQD vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| LQD | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.23 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.72 | 1.81 | -0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.88 | 5.44 | -0.55 |
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
| LQD | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.08 | 1.32 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 | -0.00 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 0.59 | -0.05 |
Drawdowns
LQD vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQD drawdown since its inception was -24.95%, which is greater than AGG's maximum drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQD and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQD | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.95% | -18.43% | -6.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.34% | -2.76% | -0.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.43% | -6.11% | -2.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.95% | -17.82% | -7.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.95% | -18.43% | -6.52% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.21% | -2.47% | -1.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.99% | -2.71% | -1.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.18% | 0.92% | +0.26% |
Volatility
LQD vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) has a higher volatility of 1.62% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.29%. This indicates that LQD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LQD | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.62% | 1.29% | +0.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.94% | 2.77% | +1.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.32% | 3.80% | +1.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 8.65% | 6.09% | +2.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.68% | 5.41% | +3.27% |
LQD vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
LQD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
LQD vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
LQD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.59%, more than AGG's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.00% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 4.59% | 4.48% | 4.45% | 3.99% | 3.30% | 2.30% | 2.66% | 3.29% | 3.67% | 3.10% | 3.34% | 3.47% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.95, LQD and AGG move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
LQD has higher volatility (1.62%) compared to AGG (1.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQD dropped -24.95% vs AGG's -18.43%.
On 10-year performance, LQD leads with 2.41% vs 1.52% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, AGG has been the lower-risk option at 1.29%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, LQD has performed better with a 2.41% return vs 1.52%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for LQD.
LQD has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 4.00% for AGG.
LQD is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while AGG is Total Bond Market. LQD tracks iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index, while AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LQD and 0.03% for AGG.
AGG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.32 vs 1.08), 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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