SCHW vs. BIL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SCHW (The Charles Schwab Corporation) is a stock, while BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) is Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Over the past 10 years, SCHW returned 12.91%/yr vs 2.18%/yr for BIL. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

SCHW vs. BIL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SCHW achieves a -12.73% return, which is significantly lower than BIL's 1.49% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHW has outperformed BIL with an annualized return of 12.91%, while BIL has yielded a comparatively lower 2.18% annualized return.

SCHW

• 1D: -1.16%
• 1M: -5.01%
• YTD: -12.73%
• 6M: -7.23%
• 1Y: -0.35%
• 3Y*: 18.44%
• 5Y*: 4.09%
• 10Y*: 12.91%

BIL

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.49%
• 6M: 1.77%
• 1Y: 3.87%
• 3Y*: 4.64%
• 5Y*: 3.41%
• 10Y*: 2.18%

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

SCHW vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SCHW The Charles Schwab Corporation	-12.73%	36.65%	9.17%	-15.97%	0.11%	60.23%	13.57%	16.38%	-18.43%	31.15%
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	1.49%	4.15%	5.19%	4.94%	1.40%	-0.10%	0.40%	2.03%	1.74%	0.69%

Correlation

The correlation between SCHW and BIL is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.09
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.03
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 31, 2007	-0.02

The correlation between SCHW and BIL shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to -0.02 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SCHW vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank

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

SCHW

SCHW Risk / Return Rank: 36
SCHW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
SCHW Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
SCHW Omega Ratio Rank: 33
SCHW Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
SCHW Martin Ratio Rank: 39

BIL

BIL Risk / Return Rank: 100
BIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Omega Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

SCHW vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). 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.

	SCHW	BIL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.01	19.71	-19.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.14	174.16	-174.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	87.91	-86.89
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.02	355.35	-355.37
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.04	2,817.77	-2,817.82
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SCHW vs. BIL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SCHW Sharpe Ratio is -0.01, which is lower than the BIL Sharpe Ratio of 19.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SCHW and BIL, 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

	SCHW	BIL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.01	19.71	-19.72
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13	13.16	-13.03
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39	8.52	-8.13
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	2.78	-2.35

Drawdowns

SCHW vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SCHW drawdown since its inception was -86.79%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHW and BIL.

Drawdown Indicators

	SCHW	BIL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-86.79%	-0.78%	-86.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.83%	-0.01%	-19.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.11%	-0.01%	-27.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-49.70%	-0.10%	-49.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.08%	-0.21%	-50.87%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-18.67%	0.00%	-18.67%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-35.55%	-0.26%	-35.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.05%	0.00%	+8.05%

Volatility

SCHW vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison

The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) has a higher volatility of 8.01% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.05%. This indicates that SCHW's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SCHW	BIL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.01%	0.05%	+7.96%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.73%	0.13%	+19.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.94%	0.20%	+23.74%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	32.24%	0.26%	+31.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	33.42%	0.26%	+33.16%

Dividends

SCHW vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison

SCHW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.36%, less than BIL's 3.86% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	3.86%	4.13%	5.03%	4.92%	1.35%	0.00%	0.30%	2.05%	1.66%	0.68%	0.07%	0.00%
SCHW The Charles Schwab Corporation	1.36%	1.08%	1.35%	1.45%	1.01%	0.86%	1.36%	1.43%	1.11%	0.62%	0.68%	0.73%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SCHW and BIL in my portfolio?

SCHW and BIL have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SCHW or BIL?

SCHW has higher volatility (8.01%) compared to BIL (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHW dropped -86.79% vs BIL's -0.78%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.71 vs -0.01), 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.