TLDTX vs. IEF
TLDTX (T. Rowe Price U.S. Limited Duration TIPS Index Fund) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both funds - TLDTX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by T. Rowe Price, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Over the past 5 years, TLDTX returned 1.81%/yr vs -1.00%/yr for IEF. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. TLDTX charges 0.21%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
TLDTX vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TLDTX achieves a 0.93% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's 0.11% return.
TLDTX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.21%
- YTD
- 0.93%
- 6M
- 1.18%
- 1Y
- 3.21%
- 3Y*
- 3.61%
- 5Y*
- 1.81%
- 10Y*
- —
IEF
- 1D
- 0.65%
- 1M
- 1.24%
- YTD
- 0.11%
- 6M
- -0.08%
- 1Y
- 3.32%
- 3Y*
- 2.81%
- 5Y*
- -1.00%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
TLDTX vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TLDTX T. Rowe Price U.S. Limited Duration TIPS Index Fund | 0.93% | 6.32% | 1.16% | 3.23% | -4.84% | 5.08% | 1.50% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.11% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 0.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between TLDTX and IEF is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 17, 2020 | 0.59 |
The correlation between TLDTX and IEF shifts across timeframes, from 0.52 (1 year) to 0.64 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
TLDTX vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
TLDTX
IEF
TLDTX vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price U.S. Limited Duration TIPS Index Fund (TLDTX) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| TLDTX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.05 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.12 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.98 | 0.82 | +0.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.87 | 2.20 | -0.33 |
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Drawdowns
TLDTX vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TLDTX drawdown since its inception was -7.24%, smaller than the maximum IEF drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TLDTX and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TLDTX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -7.24% | -23.93% | +16.69% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.28% | -4.07% | +0.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.50% | -7.74% | +3.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.24% | -21.40% | +14.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -23.93% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.03% | -10.66% | +8.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.27% | -5.36% | +3.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.72% | 1.51% | +0.21% |
Volatility
TLDTX vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for T. Rowe Price U.S. Limited Duration TIPS Index Fund (TLDTX) is 0.87%, while iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a volatility of 1.54%. This indicates that TLDTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TLDTX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.87% | 1.54% | -0.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.51% | 3.54% | -2.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.78% | 4.75% | +0.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.66% | 7.72% | -3.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.46% | 6.62% | -2.16% |
TLDTX vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
TLDTX has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF'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
TLDTX vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
TLDTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.51%, more than IEF's 3.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.87% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
TLDTX T. Rowe Price U.S. Limited Duration TIPS Index Fund | 4.51% | 4.66% | 1.63% | 4.09% | 6.45% | 4.11% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
TLDTX and IEF have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IEF has higher volatility (1.54%) compared to TLDTX (0.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TLDTX dropped -7.24% vs IEF's -23.93%.
IEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.70 vs 0.67), 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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