SHV vs. AGG

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SHV (iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SHV is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE Short US Treasury Securities Index, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SHV returned 2.23%/yr vs 1.57%/yr for AGG. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SHV charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.

Performance

SHV vs. AGG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHV) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SHV achieves a 1.42% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.25% return. Over the past 10 years, SHV has outperformed AGG with an annualized return of 2.23%, while AGG has yielded a comparatively lower 1.57% annualized return.

SHV

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.27%
• YTD: 1.42%
• 6M: 1.75%
• 1Y: 3.90%
• 3Y*: 4.64%
• 5Y*: 3.31%
• 10Y*: 2.23%

AGG

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: 0.24%
• YTD: 0.25%
• 6M: 0.09%
• 1Y: 5.14%
• 3Y*: 3.95%
• 5Y*: 0.10%
• 10Y*: 1.57%

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

SHV vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SHV iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	1.42%	4.21%	5.12%	5.04%	0.94%	-0.10%	0.81%	2.36%	1.72%	0.67%
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	0.25%	7.19%	1.31%	5.65%	-13.02%	-1.77%	7.48%	8.46%	0.09%	3.55%

Correlation

The correlation between SHV and AGG is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.29
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.23
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2007	0.16

The correlation between SHV and AGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.16 (all time) to 0.29 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SHV vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank

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

SHV

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

AGG

AGG Risk / Return Rank: 36
AGG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
AGG Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
AGG Omega Ratio Rank: 35
AGG Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
AGG Martin Ratio Rank: 36

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.

SHV vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHV) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.

	SHV	AGG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	19.49	1.34	+18.15
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	149.54	2.00	+147.55
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	53.77	1.24	+52.53
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	431.38	1.87	+429.52
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2,419.80	5.73	+2,414.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SHV vs. AGG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SHV Sharpe Ratio is 19.49, which is higher than the AGG Sharpe Ratio of 1.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SHV and AGG, 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

	SHV	AGG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.49	1.34	+18.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	11.56	0.02	+11.54
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	8.09	0.29	+7.79
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	4.50	0.59	+3.91

Drawdowns

SHV vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SHV drawdown since its inception was -0.45%, smaller than the maximum AGG drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SHV and AGG.

Drawdown Indicators

	SHV	AGG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.45%	-18.43%	+17.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.01%	-2.76%	+2.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.03%	-6.11%	+6.08%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-0.40%	-17.82%	+17.42%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-0.45%	-18.43%	+17.98%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-2.14%	+2.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.03%	-2.71%	+2.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.00%	0.90%	-0.90%

Volatility

SHV vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHV) is 0.05%, while iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has a volatility of 1.30%. This indicates that SHV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SHV	AGG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.05%	1.30%	-1.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.12%	2.74%	-2.62%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20%	3.85%	-3.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.29%	6.09%	-5.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.28%	5.40%	-5.12%

SHV vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison

SHV has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG'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

SHV vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison

SHV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.83%, less than AGG's 3.99% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	3.99%	3.89%	3.74%	3.13%	2.39%	1.77%	2.14%	2.70%	2.72%	2.32%	2.39%	2.45%
SHV iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	3.83%	4.09%	5.02%	4.73%	1.39%	0.00%	0.74%	2.19%	1.66%	0.72%	0.34%	0.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SHV and AGG in my portfolio?

SHV and AGG have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SHV or AGG?

AGG has higher volatility (1.30%) compared to SHV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SHV dropped -0.45% vs AGG's -18.43%.

Which ETF is better, SHV or AGG?

On 10-year performance, SHV leads with 2.23% vs 1.57% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SHV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SHV or AGG?

Over the 10-year period, SHV has performed better with a 2.23% return vs 1.57%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SHV or AGG?

AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for SHV.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SHV or AGG?

AGG has the higher dividend yield at 3.99%, compared with 3.83% for SHV.

What is the main difference between SHV and AGG?

SHV is categorized as Government Bonds, while AGG is Total Bond Market. SHV tracks ICE Short US Treasury Securities Index, while AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SHV and 0.03% for AGG.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SHV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.49 vs 1.34), 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.