SGOV vs. VPU
SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) and VPU (Vanguard Utilities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while VPU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SGOV returned 3.56%/yr vs 9.17%/yr for VPU. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. Both charge a 0.09% expense ratio.
Performance
SGOV vs. VPU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOV achieves a 1.61% return, which is significantly lower than VPU's 4.93% return.
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.61%
- 6M
- 1.78%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 4.71%
- 5Y*
- 3.56%
- 10Y*
- —
VPU
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- -0.86%
- YTD
- 4.93%
- 6M
- 5.15%
- 1Y
- 12.62%
- 3Y*
- 13.65%
- 5Y*
- 9.17%
- 10Y*
- 9.06%
SGOV vs. VPU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.61% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 4.93% | 16.46% | 23.04% | -7.45% | 1.06% | 17.40% | 11.16% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOV and VPU is -0.11, 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 | -0.11 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2020 | -0.03 |
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Return for Risk
SGOV vs. VPU — Risk / Return Rank
SGOV
VPU
SGOV vs. VPU - 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 Utilities ETF (VPU). 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.
| SGOV | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +19.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +274.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 195.55 | 1.15 | +194.40 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 398.20 | 1.34 | +396.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4,461.98 | 2.91 | +4,459.07 |
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Drawdowns
SGOV vs. VPU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOV drawdown since its inception was -0.03%, smaller than the maximum VPU drawdown of -46.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOV and VPU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOV | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.03% | -46.31% | +46.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.01% | -8.90% | +8.89% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.01% | -17.34% | +17.33% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.03% | -25.15% | +25.12% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -36.42% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -5.69% | +5.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.00% | -7.78% | +7.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 4.10% | -4.10% |
Volatility
SGOV vs. VPU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is 0.05%, while Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) has a volatility of 5.55%. This indicates that SGOV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VPU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOV | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.05% | 5.55% | -5.50% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.13% | 11.52% | -11.39% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20% | 14.41% | -14.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 17.07% | -16.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 19.13% | -18.89% |
SGOV vs. VPU - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both SGOV and VPU have an expense ratio of 0.09%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SGOV vs. VPU - Dividend Comparison
SGOV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, more than VPU's 2.64% 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% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 2.64% | 2.73% | 3.02% | 3.49% | 2.98% | 2.70% | 3.17% | 2.83% | 3.23% | 3.18% | 3.19% | 3.63% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGOV and VPU have a correlation of -0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VPU has higher volatility (5.55%) compared to SGOV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOV dropped -0.03% vs VPU's -46.31%.
On 5-year performance, VPU leads with 9.17% vs 3.56% for SGOV. Both ETFs have the same 0.09% expense ratio. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VPU has performed better with a 9.17% return vs 3.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV and VPU have the same expense ratio: 0.09% per year.
SGOV has the higher dividend yield at 3.85%, compared with 2.64% for VPU.
SGOV is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while VPU is Utilities Equities. SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while VPU tracks MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 0.83), 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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