SMLV vs. BIL

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (SMLV) and SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL).

SMLV and BIL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SMLV is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index. It was launched on Feb 20, 2013. BIL is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-3 Month Treasury Bill Index. It was launched on May 25, 2007. Both SMLV and BIL are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

SMLV vs. BIL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (SMLV) and SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SMLV vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SMLV SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF	5.81%	5.66%	16.77%	7.52%	-7.69%	27.67%	-1.55%	24.10%	-6.62%	5.68%
BIL SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	0.88%	4.15%	5.19%	4.94%	1.40%	-0.10%	0.40%	2.03%	1.74%	0.69%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMLV achieves a 5.81% return, which is significantly higher than BIL's 0.88% return. Over the past 10 years, SMLV has outperformed BIL with an annualized return of 9.58%, while BIL has yielded a comparatively lower 2.13% annualized return.

SMLV

• 1D: 0.68%
• 1M: -2.86%
• YTD: 5.81%
• 6M: 7.80%
• 1Y: 15.12%
• 3Y*: 12.55%
• 5Y*: 6.93%
• 10Y*: 9.58%

BIL

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 0.88%
• 6M: 1.84%
• 1Y: 4.00%
• 3Y*: 4.71%
• 5Y*: 3.28%
• 10Y*: 2.13%

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

SMLV vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMLV has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than BIL's 0.14% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

BIL

SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF

SMLV

SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

Return for Risk

SMLV vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMLV

SMLV Risk / Return Rank: 44
SMLV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
SMLV Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
SMLV Omega Ratio Rank: 39
SMLV Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
SMLV Martin Ratio Rank: 45

BIL

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

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.

SMLV vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (SMLV) and SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). 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.

	SMLV	BIL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.81	19.52	-18.70
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.25	254.20	-252.95
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	180.39	-179.23
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.38	368.00	-366.62
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.63	4,131.71	-4,127.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SMLV vs. BIL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMLV Sharpe Ratio is 0.81, which is lower than the BIL Sharpe Ratio of 19.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMLV and BIL, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SMLV	BIL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.81	19.52	-18.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.38	12.55	-12.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46	8.23	-7.77
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.52	2.73	-2.20

Correlation

The correlation between SMLV and BIL is -0.02. This indicates that the assets' prices tend to move in opposite directions. Negative correlation can be particularly beneficial for diversification and risk management, as one asset may offset the losses of the other during market fluctuations.

Dividends

SMLV vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison

SMLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.50%, less than BIL's 3.96% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SMLV SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF	2.50%	2.74%	2.68%	2.68%	2.40%	2.12%	2.47%	2.62%	3.15%	7.92%	3.04%	2.63%
BIL SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	3.96%	4.13%	5.03%	4.92%	1.35%	0.00%	0.30%	2.05%	1.66%	0.68%	0.07%	0.00%

Drawdowns

SMLV vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMLV drawdown since its inception was -42.45%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMLV and BIL.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMLV	BIL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.45%	-0.78%	-41.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.10%	-0.01%	-11.09%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.40%	-0.12%	-20.28%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.45%	-0.21%	-42.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.68%	0.00%	-3.68%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.52%	-0.26%	-5.26%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.31%	0.00%	+3.31%

Volatility

SMLV vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison

SPDR SSGA US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF (SMLV) has a higher volatility of 4.83% compared to SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.06%. This indicates that SMLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMLV	BIL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.83%	0.06%	+4.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.58%	0.14%	+10.44%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.67%	0.21%	+18.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.30%	0.26%	+18.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.96%	0.26%	+20.70%