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 8.00%/yr vs -2.38%/yr for TLT. Their 0.01 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. 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 6.68% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -3.49% return. Over the past 10 years, SDG has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 8.00%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -2.38% annualized return.
SDG
- 1D
- -0.79%
- 1M
- -0.13%
- 6M
- 5.77%
- YTD
- 6.68%
- 1Y
- 15.56%
- 3Y*
- 5.00%
- 5Y*
- 0.06%
- 10Y*
- 8.00%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.08%
TLT
- 1D
- -0.66%
- 1M
- -3.81%
- 6M
- -3.46%
- YTD
- -3.49%
- 1Y
- -2.45%
- 3Y*
- -1.80%
- 5Y*
- -8.18%
- 10Y*
- -2.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.47%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $355.88K | $282.94K | $402.28K | |
| $2.33B | $2.02B | $2.19B |
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 | 6.68% | 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 | -3.49% | 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 0.34, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 22, 2016 | 0.01 |
Over the past year, SDG and TLT have become more correlated (0.34) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SDG | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 0.99 | +0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.89 | -0.14 | +2.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.81 | -0.30 | +6.10 |
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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% | -7.74% | -0.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.92% | -14.79% | -8.13% |
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 | -3.53% | -42.36% | +38.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.57% | -13.99% | +4.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.81% | 3.57% | -0.76% |
Volatility
SDG vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF (SDG) has a higher volatility of 3.70% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.46%. 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 | 3.70% | 2.46% | +1.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.23% | 6.85% | +5.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.01% | 9.32% | +5.69% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.79% | 15.74% | +0.05% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.61% | 14.83% | +1.78% |
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 1.70%, less than TLT's 4.75% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDG iShares MSCI Global Sustainable Development Goals ETF | 1.70% | 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 | 4.34% | 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 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SDG has higher volatility (3.70%) compared to TLT (2.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SDG dropped -30.35% vs TLT's -48.35%.
On 10-year performance, SDG leads with 8.00% vs -2.38% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, TLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.46%. 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 8.00% return vs -2.38%. 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 4.34%, compared with 1.70% 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 (1.09 vs -0.11), 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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