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SUSA vs. TLT
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

SUSA vs. TLT

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

SUSA (iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SUSA is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA ESG Select Index, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SUSA returned 15.03%/yr vs -1.56%/yr for TLT. At a correlation of -0.22, they often move in opposite directions. SUSA charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.

Performance

SUSA vs. TLT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SUSA achieves a 11.51% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.05% return. Over the past 10 years, SUSA has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 15.03%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.56% annualized return.

SUSA

1D
0.36%
1M
5.24%
YTD
11.51%
6M
11.01%
1Y
26.81%
3Y*
21.19%
5Y*
11.94%
10Y*
15.03%

TLT

1D
0.22%
1M
0.48%
YTD
-0.05%
6M
-1.27%
1Y
3.48%
3Y*
-1.67%
5Y*
-6.27%
10Y*
-1.56%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

SUSA vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
SUSA
iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF		11.51%15.72%22.43%23.88%-21.38%30.45%24.66%32.10%-5.67%22.52%
TLT
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF		-0.05%4.25%-8.05%2.77%-31.23%-4.60%18.15%14.12%-1.61%9.18%

Correlation

The correlation between SUSA and TLT is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.24

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.22

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.10

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

-0.06

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2005

-0.22

The correlation between SUSA and TLT shifts across timeframes, from -0.22 (all time) to 0.24 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF

Often compared with SUSA:
SUSA vs. ESGUSUSA vs. ESGVSUSA vs. SUSLSUSA vs. SPYSUSA vs. VOOSUSA vs. IQSUSUSA vs. JEPI
Often compared with TLT:
TLT vs. SPYTLT vs. IEFTLT vs. TMFTLT vs. BNDTLT vs. VGLTTLT vs. TLTWTLT vs. EDV

Return for Risk

SUSA vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
SUSA
SUSA Risk / Return Rank: 6565
Overall Rank
SUSA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6767
Sharpe Ratio Rank
SUSA Sortino Ratio Rank: 6666
Sortino Ratio Rank
SUSA Omega Ratio Rank: 6666
Omega Ratio Rank
SUSA Calmar Ratio Rank: 5757
Calmar Ratio Rank
SUSA Martin Ratio Rank: 6767
Martin Ratio Rank
TLT
TLT Risk / Return Rank: 1414
Overall Rank
TLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1515
Sharpe Ratio Rank
TLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 1414
Sortino Ratio Rank
TLT Omega Ratio Rank: 1313
Omega Ratio Rank
TLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 1515
Calmar Ratio Rank
TLT Martin Ratio Rank: 1515
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

SUSA vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) 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.

SUSATLTDifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
2.18
0.36

+1.82

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
3.00
0.59

+2.42

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.39

1.07

+0.32

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

2.77

0.46

+2.31

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

12.27

1.14

+11.12

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SUSA vs. TLT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SUSA Sharpe Ratio is 2.18, which is higher than the TLT Sharpe Ratio of 0.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SUSA and TLT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

SUSATLTDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

2.18

0.36

+1.82

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.69

-0.40

+1.09

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.83

-0.11

+0.94

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.58

0.26

+0.32

Drawdowns

SUSA vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SUSA drawdown since its inception was -53.93%, which is greater than TLT's maximum drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SUSA and TLT.

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Drawdown Indicators

SUSATLTDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-53.93%

-48.35%

-5.58%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-9.71%

-7.58%

-2.13%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-19.30%

-19.18%

-0.12%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-28.23%

-43.70%

+15.47%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-32.93%

-48.35%

+15.42%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.52%

-40.31%

+39.79%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-7.24%

-13.82%

+6.58%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.19%

3.05%

-0.86%

Volatility

SUSA vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) has a higher volatility of 3.17% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.71%. This indicates that SUSA'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

SUSATLTDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

3.17%

2.71%

+0.46%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

9.58%

6.50%

+3.08%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

12.36%

9.77%

+2.59%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

17.33%

15.86%

+1.47%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

18.15%

14.90%

+3.25%

SUSA vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison

SUSA has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than TLT's 0.15% 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

SUSA vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison

SUSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.82%, less than TLT's 4.58% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
SUSA
iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF		0.82%0.89%1.15%1.32%1.52%0.98%1.17%1.52%1.72%1.40%1.56%1.42%
TLT
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF		4.58%4.43%4.30%3.38%2.67%1.50%1.50%2.27%2.63%2.43%2.60%2.61%

Frequently Asked Questions

SUSA and TLT have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

SUSA has higher volatility (3.17%) compared to TLT (2.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SUSA dropped -53.93% vs TLT's -48.35%.

On 10-year performance, SUSA leads with 15.03% vs -1.56% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, TLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.71%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Over the 10-year period, SUSA has performed better with a 15.03% return vs -1.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

TLT is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for SUSA.

TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.58%, compared with 0.82% for SUSA.

SUSA is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while TLT is Government Bonds. SUSA tracks MSCI USA ESG Select Index, while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for SUSA and 0.15% for TLT.

SUSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.18 vs 0.36), 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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