TLT vs. SPTL
TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) and SPTL (SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF) are both Government Bonds funds - TLT tracks the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index while SPTL tracks the Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, TLT returned -1.63%/yr vs -1.12%/yr for SPTL. With a 0.96 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. TLT charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for SPTL.
Performance
TLT vs. SPTL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TLT achieves a -0.56% return, which is significantly higher than SPTL's -0.73% return. Over the past 10 years, TLT has underperformed SPTL with an annualized return of -1.63%, while SPTL has yielded a comparatively higher -1.12% annualized return.
TLT
- 1D
- -0.51%
- 1M
- -0.80%
- YTD
- -0.56%
- 6M
- -1.32%
- 1Y
- 2.88%
- 3Y*
- -2.03%
- 5Y*
- -6.37%
- 10Y*
- -1.63%
SPTL
- 1D
- -0.54%
- 1M
- -0.87%
- YTD
- -0.73%
- 6M
- -1.09%
- 1Y
- 3.32%
- 3Y*
- -0.93%
- 5Y*
- -5.38%
- 10Y*
- -1.12%
TLT vs. SPTL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.56% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | -0.73% | 5.28% | -6.23% | 3.30% | -29.44% | -4.99% | 18.07% | 13.74% | -1.57% | 9.01% |
Correlation
The correlation between TLT and SPTL is 0.99 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.99 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 31, 2007 | 0.96 |
The correlation between TLT and SPTL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.96 to 1.00 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
TLT vs. SPTL — Risk / Return Rank
TLT
SPTL
TLT vs. SPTL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) and SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL). 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 | SPTL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.07 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.38 | 0.47 | -0.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.94 | 1.22 | -0.28 |
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 | SPTL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 | 0.38 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.40 | -0.37 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.11 | -0.08 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.24 | +0.02 |
Drawdowns
TLT vs. SPTL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TLT drawdown since its inception was -48.35%, roughly equal to the maximum SPTL drawdown of -46.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TLT and SPTL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TLT | SPTL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -48.35% | -46.20% | -2.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.58% | -7.04% | -0.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.18% | -17.55% | -1.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.70% | -41.02% | -2.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.35% | -46.20% | -2.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -40.61% | -37.09% | -3.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.82% | -14.25% | +0.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.07% | 2.72% | +0.35% |
Volatility
TLT vs. SPTL - Volatility Comparison
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) and SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL) have volatilities of 2.65% and 2.53%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TLT | SPTL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.65% | 2.53% | +0.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.51% | 5.99% | +0.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.66% | 8.82% | +0.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.85% | 14.61% | +1.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.90% | 13.94% | +0.96% |
TLT vs. SPTL - Expense Ratio Comparison
TLT has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPTL's 0.03% 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
TLT vs. SPTL - Dividend Comparison
TLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.60%, more than SPTL's 4.23% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | 4.23% | 4.12% | 4.03% | 3.24% | 2.75% | 1.68% | 1.71% | 2.45% | 2.69% | 2.53% | 2.56% | 2.60% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.60% | 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
With a correlation of 0.99, TLT and SPTL move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
TLT has higher volatility (2.65%) compared to SPTL (2.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TLT dropped -48.35% vs SPTL's -46.20%.
On 10-year performance, SPTL leads with -1.12% vs -1.63% for TLT. On fees, SPTL is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SPTL has been the lower-risk option at 2.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPTL has performed better with a -1.12% return vs -1.63%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPTL is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for TLT.
TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.60%, compared with 4.23% for SPTL.
TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index, while SPTL tracks Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for TLT and 0.03% for SPTL.
SPTL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.38 vs 0.30), 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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