OBIL vs. SHY
OBIL (US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF) and SHY (iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both Government Bonds funds - OBIL tracks the ICE BofA US 1-Year Treasury Bill Index - Benchmark TR Gross while SHY tracks the ICE US Treasury 1-3 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, OBIL returned 4.55%/yr vs 4.03%/yr for SHY. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.
Performance
OBIL vs. SHY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, OBIL achieves a 1.17% return, which is significantly higher than SHY's 0.43% return.
OBIL
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 1.17%
- 6M
- 1.51%
- 1Y
- 3.83%
- 3Y*
- 4.55%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
SHY
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- 0.08%
- YTD
- 0.43%
- 6M
- 0.69%
- 1Y
- 3.32%
- 3Y*
- 4.03%
- 5Y*
- 1.71%
- 10Y*
- 1.65%
OBIL vs. SHY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OBIL US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF | 1.17% | 4.19% | 4.94% | 4.69% | 0.53% |
SHY iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.43% | 4.95% | 3.92% | 4.16% | 0.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between OBIL and SHY is 0.73, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2022 | 0.75 |
The correlation between OBIL and SHY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.73 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
OBIL vs. SHY — Risk / Return Rank
OBIL
SHY
OBIL vs. SHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF (OBIL) and iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY). 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.
| OBIL | SHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +4.59 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +12.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 3.70 | 1.51 | +2.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 27.56 | 3.75 | +23.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 150.40 | 15.21 | +135.19 |
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
| OBIL | SHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.07 | 2.49 | +4.59 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.87 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 1.06 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 5.38 | 1.28 | +4.09 |
Drawdowns
OBIL vs. SHY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum OBIL drawdown since its inception was -0.33%, smaller than the maximum SHY drawdown of -5.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for OBIL and SHY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| OBIL | SHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.33% | -5.71% | +5.38% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.14% | -0.89% | +0.75% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.21% | -0.97% | +0.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -5.71% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -5.71% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.31% | +0.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.03% | -0.52% | +0.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.03% | 0.22% | -0.19% |
Volatility
OBIL vs. SHY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF (OBIL) is 0.10%, while iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) has a volatility of 0.35%. This indicates that OBIL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SHY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| OBIL | SHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.10% | 0.35% | -0.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.33% | 0.92% | -0.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.54% | 1.34% | -0.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.82% | 1.98% | -1.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.82% | 1.57% | -0.75% |
OBIL vs. SHY - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both OBIL and SHY have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
OBIL vs. SHY - Dividend Comparison
OBIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.65%, which matches SHY's 3.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OBIL US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF | 3.65% | 3.83% | 4.56% | 4.92% | 0.52% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SHY iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.68% | 3.81% | 3.92% | 2.99% | 1.30% | 0.26% | 0.94% | 2.12% | 1.72% | 0.98% | 0.71% | 0.54% |
Frequently Asked Questions
OBIL and SHY have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SHY has higher volatility (0.35%) compared to OBIL (0.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, OBIL dropped -0.33% vs SHY's -5.71%.
On 3-year performance, OBIL leads with 4.55% vs 4.03% for SHY. Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. On volatility, OBIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, OBIL has performed better with a 4.55% return vs 4.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
OBIL and SHY have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.
SHY has the higher dividend yield at 3.68%, compared with 3.65% for OBIL.
OBIL tracks ICE BofA US 1-Year Treasury Bill Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while SHY tracks ICE US Treasury 1-3 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: US Benchmark Series and iShares.
OBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.07 vs 2.49), 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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