SCHJ vs. GVI

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SCHJ (Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF) and GVI (iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SCHJ is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Corporate (1-5 Y), while GVI is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SCHJ returned 2.31%/yr vs 0.98%/yr for GVI. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SCHJ charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for GVI.

Performance

SCHJ vs. GVI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ) and iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

SCHJ

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 0.13%
• YTD: 0.56%
• 6M: 0.86%
• 1Y: 4.52%
• 3Y*: 5.49%
• 5Y*: 2.31%
• 10Y*: —

GVI

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: -0.00%
• YTD: -0.00%
• 6M: 0.05%
• 1Y: 3.89%
• 3Y*: 4.18%
• 5Y*: 0.98%
• 10Y*: 1.80%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

SCHJ vs. GVI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
SCHJ Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF	0.56%	6.80%	4.89%	6.36%	-5.73%	-0.67%	5.30%	0.61%
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF	-0.00%	6.66%	2.92%	5.15%	-8.28%	-1.90%	6.38%	0.04%

Correlation

The correlation between SCHJ and GVI is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.91
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 11, 2019	0.83

The correlation between SCHJ and GVI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SCHJ vs. GVI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SCHJ

SCHJ Risk / Return Rank: 72
SCHJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
SCHJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
SCHJ Omega Ratio Rank: 79
SCHJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
SCHJ Martin Ratio Rank: 66

GVI

GVI Risk / Return Rank: 44
GVI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
GVI Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
GVI Omega Ratio Rank: 44
GVI Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
GVI Martin Ratio Rank: 41

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SCHJ vs. GVI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ) and iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI). 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.

	SCHJ	GVI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.42	1.56	+0.86
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.78	2.39	+1.39
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.28	+0.20
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.08	2.17	+0.90
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.17	6.60	+5.57
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SCHJ vs. GVI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SCHJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.42, which is higher than the GVI Sharpe Ratio of 1.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SCHJ and GVI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SCHJ	GVI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.42	1.56	+0.86
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79	0.25	+0.54
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.51	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.64	0.76	-0.12

Drawdowns

SCHJ vs. GVI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SCHJ drawdown since its inception was -13.62%, which is greater than GVI's maximum drawdown of -12.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHJ and GVI.

Drawdown Indicators

	SCHJ	GVI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.62%	-12.93%	-0.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.47%	-1.79%	+0.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.47%	-2.65%	+1.18%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.43%	-12.93%	+3.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-12.93%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.45%	-1.17%	+0.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.88%	-1.86%	-0.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.37%	0.59%	-0.22%

Volatility

SCHJ vs. GVI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ) is 0.55%, while iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI) has a volatility of 0.77%. This indicates that SCHJ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GVI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SCHJ	GVI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.55%	0.77%	-0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.35%	1.78%	-0.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.87%	2.50%	-0.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.94%	3.97%	-1.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.13%	3.53%	+0.60%

SCHJ vs. GVI - Expense Ratio Comparison

SCHJ has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than GVI's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

SCHJ vs. GVI - Dividend Comparison

SCHJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, more than GVI's 3.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF	3.62%	3.48%	3.40%	2.75%	1.86%	1.46%	1.84%	2.29%	2.16%	1.91%	1.77%	1.75%
SCHJ Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF	4.50%	4.42%	4.00%	2.98%	1.64%	0.94%	2.54%	0.42%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SCHJ and GVI in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, SCHJ and GVI 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.

Which is riskier, SCHJ or GVI?

GVI has higher volatility (0.77%) compared to SCHJ (0.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHJ dropped -13.62% vs GVI's -12.93%.

Which ETF is better, SCHJ or GVI?

On 5-year performance, SCHJ leads with 2.31% vs 0.98% for GVI. On fees, SCHJ is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SCHJ has been the lower-risk option at 0.55%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SCHJ or GVI?

Over the 5-year period, SCHJ has performed better with a 2.31% return vs 0.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SCHJ or GVI?

SCHJ is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for GVI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SCHJ or GVI?

SCHJ has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 3.62% for GVI.

What is the main difference between SCHJ and GVI?

SCHJ is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while GVI is Short-Term Bond. SCHJ tracks Bloomberg US Corporate (1-5 Y), while GVI tracks Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond. They also come from different issuers: Charles Schwab and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SCHJ and 0.20% for GVI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SCHJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 1.56), 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.