SDG vs. TLT
SDG (iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SDG is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI Sustainable Development Index, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SDG returned 8.63%/yr vs -1.66%/yr for TLT. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SDG charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.
Performance
SDG vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SDG achieves a 9.89% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.27% return. Over the past 10 years, SDG has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 8.63%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.66% annualized return.
SDG
- 1D
- -0.33%
- 1M
- 4.20%
- YTD
- 9.89%
- 6M
- 9.62%
- 1Y
- 25.55%
- 3Y*
- 7.55%
- 5Y*
- 0.66%
- 10Y*
- 8.63%
TLT
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- 0.81%
- YTD
- -0.27%
- 6M
- -2.02%
- 1Y
- 4.93%
- 3Y*
- -1.80%
- 5Y*
- -6.31%
- 10Y*
- -1.66%
SDG vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDG iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF | 9.89% | 20.19% | -10.09% | 4.59% | -11.51% | -1.20% | 44.36% | 25.38% | -8.32% | 27.28% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.27% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between SDG and TLT is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 25, 2016 | 0.01 |
Over the past year, SDG and TLT have become more correlated (0.33) than their long-term average of 0.01, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
SDG vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
SDG
TLT
SDG vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF (SDG) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). 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.
| SDG | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.27 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.09 | +0.23 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.96 | 0.65 | +2.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.84 | 1.63 | +9.22 |
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
| SDG | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.78 | 0.51 | +1.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 | -0.40 | +0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | -0.11 | +0.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 0.26 | +0.26 |
Drawdowns
SDG vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SDG drawdown since its inception was -30.35%, smaller than the maximum TLT drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SDG and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SDG | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.35% | -48.35% | +18.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.68% | -7.58% | -1.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.92% | -19.18% | -3.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.35% | -43.70% | +13.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.35% | -48.35% | +18.00% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.33% | -40.44% | +40.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.66% | -13.82% | +4.16% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.36% | 3.04% | -0.68% |
Volatility
SDG vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF (SDG) has a higher volatility of 5.28% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.76%. This indicates that SDG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SDG | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.28% | 2.76% | +2.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.07% | 6.50% | +4.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.41% | 9.77% | +4.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.63% | 15.87% | -0.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.68% | 14.91% | +1.77% |
SDG vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
SDG has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than TLT's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
SDG vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
SDG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.82%, less than TLT's 4.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDG iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF | 1.82% | 2.00% | 1.95% | 1.77% | 1.82% | 1.66% | 0.97% | 1.39% | 2.47% | 2.54% | 1.34% | 0.00% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.59% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SDG and TLT have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SDG has higher volatility (5.28%) compared to TLT (2.76%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SDG dropped -30.35% vs TLT's -48.35%.
On 10-year performance, SDG leads with 8.63% vs -1.66% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, TLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.76%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SDG has performed better with a 8.63% return vs -1.66%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
TLT is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SDG.
TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 1.82% for SDG.
SDG is categorized as Global Equities, while TLT is Government Bonds. SDG tracks MSCI ACWI Sustainable Development Index, while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for SDG and 0.15% for TLT.
SDG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.78 vs 0.51), 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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