LQD vs. SPBO
LQD (iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) and SPBO (SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - LQD tracks the iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index while SPBO tracks the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, LQD returned 2.52%/yr vs 2.77%/yr for SPBO. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. LQD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for SPBO.
Performance
LQD vs. SPBO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQD achieves a 0.46% return, which is significantly lower than SPBO's 0.70% return. Over the past 10 years, LQD has underperformed SPBO with an annualized return of 2.52%, while SPBO has yielded a comparatively higher 2.77% annualized 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%
SPBO
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.67%
- YTD
- 0.70%
- 6M
- 0.47%
- 1Y
- 6.29%
- 3Y*
- 5.54%
- 5Y*
- 0.66%
- 10Y*
- 2.77%
LQD vs. SPBO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 0.46% | 7.90% | 0.86% | 9.40% | -17.92% | -1.84% | 10.97% | 17.37% | -3.79% | 7.06% |
SPBO SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF | 0.70% | 7.83% | 2.59% | 8.80% | -15.68% | -1.57% | 10.17% | 14.70% | -1.79% | 5.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQD and SPBO is 0.99 - 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 | 0.99 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.99 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.99 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 8, 2011 | 0.73 |
Over the past year, LQD and SPBO have become more correlated (0.99) than their long-term average of 0.73, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
LQD vs. SPBO — Risk / Return Rank
LQD
SPBO
LQD vs. SPBO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) and SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF (SPBO). 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 | SPBO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.31 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.26 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.83 | 2.20 | -0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.23 | 6.94 | -1.72 |
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 | SPBO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.14 | 1.45 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.01 | 0.09 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.37 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 0.47 | +0.07 |
Drawdowns
LQD vs. SPBO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQD drawdown since its inception was -24.95%, which is greater than SPBO's maximum drawdown of -22.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQD and SPBO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQD | SPBO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.95% | -22.23% | -2.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.34% | -2.87% | -0.47% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.43% | -6.41% | -2.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.95% | -22.23% | -2.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.95% | -22.23% | -2.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.72% | -0.91% | -2.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.99% | -4.04% | +0.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.17% | 0.91% | +0.26% |
Volatility
LQD vs. SPBO - Volatility Comparison
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) has a higher volatility of 1.65% compared to SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF (SPBO) at 1.35%. This indicates that LQD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPBO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LQD | SPBO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.65% | 1.35% | +0.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.90% | 3.21% | +0.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.36% | 4.36% | +1.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 8.65% | 7.18% | +1.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.68% | 7.49% | +1.19% |
LQD vs. SPBO - Expense Ratio Comparison
LQD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPBO'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. SPBO - Dividend Comparison
LQD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.57%, less than SPBO's 5.12% 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% |
SPBO SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF | 5.12% | 5.09% | 5.28% | 4.73% | 3.54% | 2.42% | 2.75% | 3.46% | 3.60% | 3.15% | 3.35% | 3.07% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.99, LQD and SPBO 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 SPBO (1.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQD dropped -24.95% vs SPBO's -22.23%.
On 10-year performance, SPBO leads with 2.77% vs 2.52% for LQD. On fees, SPBO is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SPBO has been the lower-risk option at 1.35%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPBO has performed better with a 2.77% return vs 2.52%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPBO is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for LQD.
SPBO has the higher dividend yield at 5.12%, compared with 4.57% for LQD.
LQD tracks iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index, while SPBO tracks Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LQD and 0.03% for SPBO.
SPBO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 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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