VGLT vs. GOVZ
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) and iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ).
VGLT and GOVZ are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VGLT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. GOVZ is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the ICE BofA Long US Treasury Principal STRIPS Index. It was launched on Sep 22, 2020. Both VGLT and GOVZ are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
VGLT vs. GOVZ - Performance Comparison
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VGLT vs. GOVZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | -0.14% | 5.35% | -6.28% | 3.27% | -29.34% | -4.98% | -3.92% |
GOVZ iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | -0.18% | -1.81% | -16.24% | 0.90% | -41.03% | -4.86% | -5.61% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGLT achieves a -0.14% return, which is significantly higher than GOVZ's -0.18% return.
VGLT
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- -3.18%
- YTD
- -0.14%
- 6M
- -0.79%
- 1Y
- -0.40%
- 3Y*
- -1.59%
- 5Y*
- -4.89%
- 10Y*
- -0.87%
GOVZ
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -0.18%
- 6M
- -3.76%
- 1Y
- -7.76%
- 3Y*
- -8.80%
- 5Y*
- -10.91%
- 10Y*
- —
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VGLT vs. GOVZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGLT has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than GOVZ's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VGLT vs. GOVZ — Risk / Return Rank
VGLT
GOVZ
VGLT vs. GOVZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) and iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ). 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.
| VGLT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.04 | -0.41 | +0.37 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.02 | -0.44 | +0.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 0.95 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.04 | -0.40 | +0.44 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.09 | -0.68 | +0.77 |
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
| VGLT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.04 | -0.41 | +0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.34 | -0.46 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.06 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.19 | -0.59 | +0.78 |
Correlation
The correlation between VGLT and GOVZ is 0.98, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VGLT vs. GOVZ - Dividend Comparison
VGLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.54%, less than GOVZ's 5.06% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | 4.54% | 4.44% | 4.33% | 3.33% | 2.84% | 1.82% | 2.15% | 2.46% | 2.71% | 2.55% | 2.69% | 3.21% |
GOVZ iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | 5.06% | 5.00% | 4.68% | 3.84% | 3.69% | 1.76% | 0.39% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
VGLT vs. GOVZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGLT drawdown since its inception was -46.18%, smaller than the maximum GOVZ drawdown of -59.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGLT and GOVZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGLT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.18% | -59.65% | +13.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.48% | -16.08% | +7.60% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.98% | -57.63% | +16.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.18% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.66% | -56.14% | +19.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.83% | -39.39% | +24.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.86% | 9.42% | -5.56% |
Volatility
VGLT vs. GOVZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) is 3.45%, while iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) has a volatility of 5.79%. This indicates that VGLT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GOVZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGLT | GOVZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.45% | 5.79% | -2.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.00% | 10.93% | -4.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.32% | 19.25% | -8.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.59% | 23.93% | -9.34% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.84% | 23.60% | -9.76% |