TLT vs. HYG
TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) and HYG (iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index, while HYG is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, TLT returned -1.62%/yr vs 4.97%/yr for HYG. At a correlation of -0.06, they often move in opposite directions. TLT charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for HYG.
Performance
TLT vs. HYG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TLT achieves a 0.13% return, which is significantly lower than HYG's 1.60% return. Over the past 10 years, TLT has underperformed HYG with an annualized return of -1.62%, while HYG has yielded a comparatively higher 4.97% annualized return.
TLT
- 1D
- 0.21%
- 1M
- 0.44%
- YTD
- 0.13%
- 6M
- -1.35%
- 1Y
- 5.16%
- 3Y*
- -1.67%
- 5Y*
- -5.98%
- 10Y*
- -1.62%
HYG
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 1.60%
- 6M
- 2.09%
- 1Y
- 7.00%
- 3Y*
- 8.58%
- 5Y*
- 3.87%
- 10Y*
- 4.97%
TLT vs. HYG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.13% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.60% | 8.59% | 7.97% | 11.54% | -10.98% | 3.76% | 4.47% | 14.09% | -2.02% | 6.07% |
Correlation
The correlation between TLT and HYG is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 12, 2007 | -0.06 |
The correlation between TLT and HYG shifts across timeframes, from -0.06 (all time) to 0.53 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
TLT vs. HYG — Risk / Return Rank
TLT
HYG
TLT vs. HYG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) and iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG). 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.
| TLT | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.53 | 1.85 | -1.32 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.83 | 2.80 | -1.96 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.09 | 1.36 | -0.26 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.55 | 2.99 | -2.43 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.38 | 13.22 | -11.83 |
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
| TLT | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.53 | 1.85 | -1.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.38 | 0.52 | -0.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.11 | 0.60 | -0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 0.46 | -0.20 |
Drawdowns
TLT vs. HYG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TLT drawdown since its inception was -48.35%, which is greater than HYG's maximum drawdown of -34.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TLT and HYG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TLT | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -48.35% | -34.25% | -14.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.58% | -2.34% | -5.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.18% | -4.56% | -14.62% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.70% | -15.79% | -27.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.35% | -22.03% | -26.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -40.20% | -0.00% | -40.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.81% | -3.24% | -10.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.02% | 0.53% | +2.49% |
Volatility
TLT vs. HYG - Volatility Comparison
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a higher volatility of 2.84% compared to iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) at 1.22%. This indicates that TLT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HYG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TLT | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.84% | 1.22% | +1.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.60% | 3.00% | +3.60% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.81% | 3.79% | +6.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.87% | 7.52% | +8.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.91% | 8.29% | +6.62% |
TLT vs. HYG - Expense Ratio Comparison
TLT has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than HYG's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
TLT vs. HYG - Dividend Comparison
TLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.57%, less than HYG's 5.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 5.90% | 5.71% | 6.01% | 5.74% | 5.30% | 4.02% | 4.88% | 4.99% | 5.54% | 5.12% | 5.27% | 5.90% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.57% | 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
TLT and HYG have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TLT has higher volatility (2.84%) compared to HYG (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TLT dropped -48.35% vs HYG's -34.25%.
On 10-year performance, HYG leads with 4.97% vs -1.62% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, HYG has been the lower-risk option at 1.22%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, HYG has performed better with a 4.97% return vs -1.62%. 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 0.49% for HYG.
HYG has the higher dividend yield at 5.90%, compared with 4.57% for TLT.
TLT is categorized as Government Bonds, while HYG is High Yield Bonds. TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index, while HYG tracks iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for TLT and 0.49% for HYG.
HYG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.85 vs 0.53), 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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