SPMD vs. IEI
SPMD (SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF) and IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPMD is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Index, while IEI is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPMD returned 11.78%/yr vs 1.24%/yr for IEI. At a correlation of -0.24, they often move in opposite directions. SPMD charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEI.
Performance
SPMD vs. IEI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPMD achieves a 15.51% return, which is significantly higher than IEI's -0.30% return. Over the past 10 years, SPMD has outperformed IEI with an annualized return of 11.78%, while IEI has yielded a comparatively lower 1.24% annualized return.
SPMD
- 1D
- 0.73%
- 1M
- 5.31%
- YTD
- 15.51%
- 6M
- 14.03%
- 1Y
- 27.96%
- 3Y*
- 15.42%
- 5Y*
- 8.28%
- 10Y*
- 11.78%
IEI
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.54%
- YTD
- -0.30%
- 6M
- -0.00%
- 1Y
- 3.16%
- 3Y*
- 3.77%
- 5Y*
- 0.21%
- 10Y*
- 1.24%
SPMD vs. IEI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 15.51% | 7.44% | 13.91% | 16.48% | -13.13% | 24.76% | 13.46% | 25.19% | -10.34% | 15.12% |
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.30% | 6.96% | 1.81% | 4.42% | -9.51% | -2.54% | 6.95% | 5.71% | 1.36% | 1.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPMD and IEI is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 11, 2007 | -0.24 |
The correlation between SPMD and IEI shifts across timeframes, from -0.24 (all time) to 0.26 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SPMD vs. IEI — Risk / Return Rank
SPMD
IEI
SPMD vs. IEI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD) and iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI). 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.
| SPMD | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.64 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.17 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.95 | 1.19 | +1.75 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.81 | 3.35 | +7.46 |
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Drawdowns
SPMD vs. IEI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPMD drawdown since its inception was -57.62%, which is greater than IEI's maximum drawdown of -14.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPMD and IEI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPMD | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.62% | -14.60% | -43.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.86% | -2.50% | -6.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.08% | -3.66% | -20.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.08% | -13.88% | -10.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.86% | -14.60% | -27.26% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.74% | +1.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.11% | -2.67% | -5.44% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.41% | 0.89% | +1.52% |
Volatility
SPMD vs. IEI - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD) has a higher volatility of 5.07% compared to iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) at 0.98%. This indicates that SPMD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPMD | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.07% | 0.98% | +4.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.77% | 2.18% | +9.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.91% | 3.00% | +12.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 4.78% | +14.97% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.20% | 3.93% | +17.27% |
SPMD vs. IEI - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPMD has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than IEI's 0.15% 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%.
Dividends
SPMD vs. IEI - Dividend Comparison
SPMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.21%, less than IEI's 3.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.64% | 3.48% | 3.18% | 2.36% | 1.37% | 0.73% | 1.12% | 2.01% | 1.95% | 1.51% | 1.33% | 1.39% |
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 1.21% | 1.39% | 1.42% | 1.47% | 1.64% | 1.24% | 1.30% | 1.57% | 1.85% | 1.97% | 2.13% | 5.33% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SPMD and IEI have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPMD has higher volatility (5.07%) compared to IEI (0.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPMD dropped -57.62% vs IEI's -14.60%.
On 10-year performance, SPMD leads with 11.78% vs 1.24% for IEI. On fees, SPMD is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, IEI has been the lower-risk option at 0.98%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPMD has performed better with a 11.78% return vs 1.24%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPMD is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for IEI.
IEI has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 1.21% for SPMD.
SPMD is categorized as Mid Cap Blend Equities, while IEI is Government Bonds. SPMD tracks S&P MidCap 400 Index, while IEI tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SPMD and 0.15% for IEI.
SPMD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.64 vs 1.00), 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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