SLDR vs. ISTB
SLDR (Global X Short-Term Treasury Ladder ETF) and ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLDR is a Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE US Treasury 1-3 Years Laddered Bond Index, while ISTB is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD). Both are passively managed. Over the past year, SLDR returned 2.81% vs 3.73% for ISTB. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SLDR charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for ISTB.
Performance
SLDR vs. ISTB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLDR achieves a 0.28% return, which is significantly lower than ISTB's 0.44% return.
SLDR
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- 0.22%
- YTD
- 0.28%
- 6M
- 0.40%
- 1Y
- 2.81%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ISTB
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.19%
- YTD
- 0.44%
- 6M
- 0.59%
- 1Y
- 3.73%
- 3Y*
- 4.98%
- 5Y*
- 1.90%
- 10Y*
- 2.23%
SLDR vs. ISTB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
SLDR Global X Short-Term Treasury Ladder ETF | 0.28% | 4.60% | 0.66% |
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.44% | 6.36% | -0.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLDR and ISTB is 0.80, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2024 | 0.80 |
The correlation between SLDR and ISTB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
SLDR vs. ISTB — Risk / Return Rank
SLDR
ISTB
SLDR vs. ISTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Short-Term Treasury Ladder ETF (SLDR) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB). 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.
| SLDR | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.24 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.53 | 1.40 | +0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.23 | 2.98 | +0.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.12 | 10.97 | +1.15 |
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Drawdowns
SLDR vs. ISTB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLDR drawdown since its inception was -0.87%, smaller than the maximum ISTB drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLDR and ISTB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLDR | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.87% | -9.34% | +8.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.87% | -1.26% | +0.39% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -1.36% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -9.34% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -9.34% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.31% | -0.46% | +0.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.14% | -1.22% | +1.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.23% | 0.34% | -0.11% |
Volatility
SLDR vs. ISTB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Global X Short-Term Treasury Ladder ETF (SLDR) is 0.44%, while iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) has a volatility of 0.63%. This indicates that SLDR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ISTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLDR | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.44% | 0.63% | -0.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.85% | 1.36% | -0.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.28% | 1.80% | -0.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.25% | 2.80% | -1.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.25% | 2.51% | -1.26% |
SLDR vs. ISTB - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLDR has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is higher than ISTB's 0.06% 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
SLDR vs. ISTB - Dividend Comparison
SLDR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.72%, less than ISTB's 4.25% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.25% | 4.12% | 3.83% | 2.97% | 2.01% | 1.69% | 2.20% | 2.75% | 2.57% | 2.06% | 1.90% | 1.58% |
SLDR Global X Short-Term Treasury Ladder ETF | 3.72% | 3.80% | 0.98% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLDR and ISTB have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ISTB has higher volatility (0.63%) compared to SLDR (0.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLDR dropped -0.87% vs ISTB's -9.34%.
On 1-year performance, ISTB leads with 3.73% vs 2.81% for SLDR. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SLDR has been the lower-risk option at 0.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, ISTB has performed better with a 3.73% return vs 2.81%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.12% for SLDR.
ISTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.25%, compared with 3.72% for SLDR.
SLDR is categorized as Government Bonds, while ISTB is Short-Term Bond. SLDR tracks FTSE US Treasury 1-3 Years Laddered Bond Index, while ISTB tracks BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD). They also come from different issuers: Global X and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for SLDR and 0.06% for ISTB.
SLDR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 2.09), 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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