LQD vs. SCHI
LQD (iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) and SCHI (Schwab 5-10 Year Corporate Bond ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - LQD tracks the iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index while SCHI tracks the Bloomberg US Aggregate Credit - Corporate (5-10 Y). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LQD returned -0.04%/yr vs 1.26%/yr for SCHI. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. LQD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for SCHI.
Performance
LQD vs. SCHI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQD achieves a 0.46% return, which is significantly higher than SCHI's 0.19% return.
LQD
- 1D
- -0.28%
- 1M
- 0.72%
- YTD
- 0.46%
- 6M
- -0.03%
- 1Y
- 6.08%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- -0.04%
- 10Y*
- 2.52%
SCHI
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 0.19%
- 6M
- 0.09%
- 1Y
- 6.18%
- 3Y*
- 6.04%
- 5Y*
- 1.26%
- 10Y*
- —
LQD vs. SCHI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 0.46% | 7.90% | 0.86% | 9.40% | -17.92% | -1.84% | 10.97% | 1.72% |
SCHI Schwab 5-10 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 0.19% | 9.47% | 3.32% | 8.97% | -14.06% | -1.85% | 9.74% | 1.00% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQD and SCHI is 0.97 - 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 | 0.97 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 11, 2019 | 0.95 |
The correlation between LQD and SCHI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.95 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
LQD vs. SCHI — Risk / Return Rank
LQD
SCHI
LQD vs. SCHI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) and Schwab 5-10 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHI). 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 | SCHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.54 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.26 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.83 | 2.06 | -0.23 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.23 | 6.98 | -1.75 |
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 | SCHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.14 | 1.49 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.01 | 0.19 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 0.30 | +0.24 |
Drawdowns
LQD vs. SCHI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQD drawdown since its inception was -24.95%, which is greater than SCHI's maximum drawdown of -20.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQD and SCHI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQD | SCHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.95% | -20.67% | -4.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.34% | -3.01% | -0.33% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.43% | -6.14% | -2.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.95% | -20.67% | -4.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.95% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.72% | -1.36% | -2.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.99% | -5.71% | +1.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.17% | 0.89% | +0.28% |
Volatility
LQD vs. SCHI - Volatility Comparison
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) has a higher volatility of 1.65% compared to Schwab 5-10 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHI) at 1.32%. This indicates that LQD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LQD | SCHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.65% | 1.32% | +0.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.90% | 3.09% | +0.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.36% | 4.15% | +1.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 8.65% | 6.66% | +1.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.68% | 7.40% | +1.28% |
LQD vs. SCHI - Expense Ratio Comparison
LQD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHI's 0.05% 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. SCHI - Dividend Comparison
LQD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.57%, less than SCHI's 5.05% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 4.57% | 4.48% | 4.45% | 3.99% | 3.30% | 2.30% | 2.66% | 3.29% | 3.67% | 3.10% | 3.34% | 3.47% |
SCHI Schwab 5-10 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 5.05% | 4.99% | 5.11% | 4.27% | 3.10% | 1.93% | 2.31% | 0.53% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.97, LQD and SCHI 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 (1.65%) compared to SCHI (1.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQD dropped -24.95% vs SCHI's -20.67%.
On 5-year performance, SCHI leads with 1.26% vs -0.04% for LQD. On fees, SCHI is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SCHI has been the lower-risk option at 1.32%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SCHI has performed better with a 1.26% return vs -0.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHI is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for LQD.
SCHI has the higher dividend yield at 5.05%, compared with 4.57% for LQD.
LQD tracks iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index, while SCHI tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Credit - Corporate (5-10 Y). They also come from different issuers: iShares and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LQD and 0.05% for SCHI.
SCHI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.49 vs 1.14), 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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