SMMD vs. TLT
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT).
SMMD and TLT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SMMD is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Russell 2500 Index. It was launched on Jul 6, 2017. TLT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. It was launched on Jul 22, 2002. Both SMMD and TLT 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
SMMD vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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SMMD vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 2.10% | 11.72% | 11.87% | 17.71% | -18.53% | 18.30% | 19.98% | 28.01% | -10.58% | 10.82% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.17% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 4.67% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMMD achieves a 2.10% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's 0.17% return.
SMMD
- 1D
- 3.53%
- 1M
- -5.15%
- YTD
- 2.10%
- 6M
- 4.19%
- 1Y
- 23.65%
- 3Y*
- 13.21%
- 5Y*
- 5.12%
- 10Y*
- —
TLT
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -4.23%
- YTD
- 0.17%
- 6M
- -0.87%
- 1Y
- -0.49%
- 3Y*
- -2.78%
- 5Y*
- -5.85%
- 10Y*
- -1.38%
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SMMD vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both SMMD and TLT have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
SMMD vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
SMMD
TLT
SMMD vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). 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.
| SMMD | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.08 | -0.04 | +1.12 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.62 | 0.02 | +1.60 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.00 | +0.22 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.67 | 0.05 | +1.62 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.05 | 0.11 | +6.93 |
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
| SMMD | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.08 | -0.04 | +1.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 | -0.37 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | -0.09 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.26 | +0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between SMMD and TLT is -0.07. 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
SMMD vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
SMMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.22%, less than TLT's 4.49% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 1.22% | 1.28% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.79% | 1.12% | 1.31% | 1.50% | 2.45% | 0.68% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.49% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
Drawdowns
SMMD vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMMD drawdown since its inception was -41.06%, smaller than the maximum TLT drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMMD and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMMD | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.06% | -48.35% | +7.29% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.02% | -9.23% | -4.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.26% | -43.70% | +15.44% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -48.35% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.47% | -40.17% | +33.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.52% | -13.62% | +5.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.32% | 4.38% | -1.06% |
Volatility
SMMD vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) has a higher volatility of 7.30% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 3.71%. This indicates that SMMD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMMD | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.30% | 3.71% | +3.59% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.19% | 6.61% | +6.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.05% | 11.44% | +10.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.80% | 15.90% | +4.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.46% | 14.93% | +7.53% |