SGOV vs. VGLT
SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) and VGLT (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while VGLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SGOV returned 3.55%/yr vs -5.66%/yr for VGLT. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SGOV charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGLT.
Performance
SGOV vs. VGLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOV achieves a 1.56% return, which is significantly higher than VGLT's -1.16% return.
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.56%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 4.70%
- 5Y*
- 3.55%
- 10Y*
- —
VGLT
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- -1.25%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -1.18%
- 1Y
- 4.15%
- 3Y*
- -0.94%
- 5Y*
- -5.66%
- 10Y*
- -1.28%
SGOV vs. VGLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.56% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | -1.16% | 5.35% | -6.28% | 3.27% | -29.34% | -4.98% | -2.02% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOV and VGLT is -0.12, 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 | -0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2020 | 0.02 |
The correlation between SGOV and VGLT shifts across timeframes, from -0.12 (1 year) to 0.02 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SGOV vs. VGLT — Risk / Return Rank
SGOV
VGLT
SGOV vs. VGLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT). 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.
| SGOV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +19.80 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +274.94 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 195.55 | 1.08 | +194.47 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 398.20 | 0.60 | +397.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4,461.99 | 1.53 | +4,460.46 |
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
| SGOV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.28 | 0.48 | +19.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 14.78 | -0.39 | +15.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | -0.09 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 12.50 | 0.18 | +12.32 |
Drawdowns
SGOV vs. VGLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOV drawdown since its inception was -0.03%, smaller than the maximum VGLT drawdown of -46.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOV and VGLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.03% | -46.18% | +46.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.01% | -7.01% | +7.00% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.01% | -17.68% | +17.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.03% | -40.98% | +40.95% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -46.18% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -37.30% | +37.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.00% | -15.08% | +15.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 2.72% | -2.72% |
Volatility
SGOV vs. VGLT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is 0.06%, while Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) has a volatility of 2.50%. This indicates that SGOV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VGLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.06% | 2.50% | -2.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.13% | 5.96% | -5.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20% | 8.71% | -8.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 14.57% | -14.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 13.82% | -13.58% |
SGOV vs. VGLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOV has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VGLT's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SGOV vs. VGLT - Dividend Comparison
SGOV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, less than VGLT's 4.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.85% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | 4.64% | 4.44% | 4.33% | 3.33% | 2.84% | 1.82% | 2.15% | 2.46% | 2.71% | 2.55% | 2.69% | 3.21% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGOV and VGLT have a correlation of -0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VGLT has higher volatility (2.50%) compared to SGOV (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOV dropped -0.03% vs VGLT's -46.18%.
On 5-year performance, SGOV leads with 3.55% vs -5.66% for VGLT. On fees, VGLT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SGOV has performed better with a 3.55% return vs -5.66%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGLT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for SGOV.
VGLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.64%, compared with 3.85% for SGOV.
SGOV is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while VGLT is Government Bonds. SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while VGLT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for SGOV and 0.03% for VGLT.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 0.48), 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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