SPTL vs. VGIT
SPTL (SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF) and VGIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF) are both Government Bonds funds - SPTL tracks the Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index while VGIT tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPTL returned -1.12%/yr vs 1.23%/yr for VGIT. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.03% expense ratio.
Performance
SPTL vs. VGIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPTL achieves a -0.38% return, which is significantly higher than VGIT's -0.46% return. Over the past 10 years, SPTL has underperformed VGIT with an annualized return of -1.12%, while VGIT has yielded a comparatively higher 1.23% annualized return.
SPTL
- 1D
- -0.38%
- 1M
- 0.71%
- YTD
- -0.38%
- 6M
- -1.67%
- 1Y
- 5.22%
- 3Y*
- -0.70%
- 5Y*
- -5.32%
- 10Y*
- -1.12%
VGIT
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- -0.16%
- YTD
- -0.46%
- 6M
- -0.60%
- 1Y
- 3.54%
- 3Y*
- 3.40%
- 5Y*
- 0.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.23%
SPTL vs. VGIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | -0.38% | 5.28% | -6.23% | 3.30% | -29.44% | -4.99% | 18.07% | 13.74% | -1.57% | 9.01% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.46% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPTL and VGIT is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | 0.84 |
The correlation between SPTL and VGIT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
SPTL vs. VGIT — Risk / Return Rank
SPTL
VGIT
SPTL vs. VGIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT). 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.
| SPTL | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.69 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.18 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.74 | 1.25 | -0.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.94 | 3.75 | -1.81 |
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
| SPTL | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.59 | 1.05 | -0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.37 | 0.01 | -0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.08 | 0.27 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 0.49 | -0.25 |
Drawdowns
SPTL vs. VGIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPTL drawdown since its inception was -46.20%, which is greater than VGIT's maximum drawdown of -16.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPTL and VGIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPTL | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.20% | -16.05% | -30.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.04% | -2.83% | -4.21% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.55% | -4.34% | -13.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.02% | -15.02% | -26.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.20% | -16.05% | -30.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.87% | -2.39% | -34.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.24% | -3.52% | -10.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.69% | 0.94% | +1.75% |
Volatility
SPTL vs. VGIT - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL) has a higher volatility of 2.63% compared to Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) at 1.05%. This indicates that SPTL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPTL | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.63% | 1.05% | +1.58% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.97% | 2.33% | +3.64% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.92% | 3.38% | +5.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.63% | 5.38% | +9.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.95% | 4.50% | +9.45% |
SPTL vs. VGIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both SPTL and VGIT have an expense ratio of 0.03%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SPTL vs. VGIT - Dividend Comparison
SPTL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.21%, more than VGIT's 3.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | 4.21% | 4.12% | 4.03% | 3.24% | 2.75% | 1.68% | 1.71% | 2.45% | 2.69% | 2.53% | 2.56% | 2.60% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.87% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SPTL and VGIT have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPTL has higher volatility (2.63%) compared to VGIT (1.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPTL dropped -46.20% vs VGIT's -16.05%.
On 10-year performance, VGIT leads with 1.23% vs -1.12% for SPTL. Both ETFs have the same 0.03% expense ratio. On volatility, VGIT has been the lower-risk option at 1.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VGIT has performed better with a 1.23% return vs -1.12%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPTL and VGIT have the same expense ratio: 0.03% per year.
SPTL has the higher dividend yield at 4.21%, compared with 3.87% for VGIT.
SPTL tracks Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index, while VGIT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Vanguard.
VGIT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs 0.59), 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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