VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L
VGOV.L (Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Distributing) and SDIA.L (iShares USD Short Duration Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - VGOV.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while SDIA.L is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VGOV.L returned -5.33%/yr vs 3.51%/yr for SDIA.L. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VGOV.L charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for SDIA.L.
Performance
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Different Trading Currencies
VGOV.L is traded in GBP, while SDIA.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the SDIA.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGOV.L achieves a -1.28% return, which is significantly lower than SDIA.L's 1.20% return.
VGOV.L
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- 1.61%
- YTD
- -1.28%
- 6M
- -1.26%
- 1Y
- 2.08%
- 3Y*
- 2.10%
- 5Y*
- -5.33%
- 10Y*
- -1.29%
SDIA.L
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 1.31%
- YTD
- 1.20%
- 6M
- 0.54%
- 1Y
- 5.28%
- 3Y*
- 2.63%
- 5Y*
- 3.51%
- 10Y*
- —
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGOV.L Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Distributing | -1.28% | 4.78% | -4.30% | 3.32% | -27.01% | -5.37% | 9.32% | 7.65% | 0.35% | 1.00% |
SDIA.L iShares USD Short Duration Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc) | 1.20% | -1.40% | 6.83% | 0.36% | 6.87% | 0.24% | 1.43% | 2.08% | 6.80% | -3.36% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGOV.L and SDIA.L is -0.14, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 9, 2017 | 0.15 |
The correlation between VGOV.L and SDIA.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.14 (1 year) to 0.15 (all time), 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.
Return for Risk
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L — Risk / Return Rank
VGOV.L
SDIA.L
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Distributing (VGOV.L) and iShares USD Short Duration Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc) (SDIA.L). 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.
| VGOV.L | SDIA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.15 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.36 | 1.07 | -0.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.96 | 3.05 | -2.09 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VGOV.L | SDIA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 | 0.82 | -0.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.47 | 0.43 | -0.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.13 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.03 | 0.27 | -0.24 |
Drawdowns
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGOV.L drawdown since its inception was -39.28%, which is greater than SDIA.L's maximum drawdown of -15.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGOV.L and SDIA.L.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| VGOV.L | SDIA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.28% | -15.38% | -23.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.74% | -4.94% | -0.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.98% | -8.72% | +0.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.38% | -15.38% | -22.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.28% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -30.74% | -3.93% | -26.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.39% | -6.25% | -6.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.16% | 1.73% | +0.43% |
Volatility
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Distributing (VGOV.L) has a higher volatility of 2.69% compared to iShares USD Short Duration Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc) (SDIA.L) at 1.79%. This indicates that VGOV.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SDIA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| VGOV.L | SDIA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.69% | 1.79% | +0.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.24% | 5.02% | +0.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.47% | 6.45% | +0.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.44% | 8.14% | +3.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.15% | 8.42% | +1.73% |
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGOV.L has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than SDIA.L's 0.20% 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%.
Dividends
VGOV.L vs. SDIA.L - Dividend Comparison
VGOV.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.61%, while SDIA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDIA.L iShares USD Short Duration Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc) | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGOV.L Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Distributing | 4.61% | 4.51% | 4.14% | 3.16% | 1.87% | 1.09% | 1.16% | 1.38% | 1.57% | 1.62% | 1.62% | 1.92% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGOV.L and SDIA.L have a correlation of -0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, VGOV.L is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
VGOV.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for SDIA.L.
VGOV.L is categorized as European Government Bonds, while SDIA.L is Corporate Bonds. VGOV.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while SDIA.L tracks Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VGOV.L and 0.20% for SDIA.L.
Find the right allocation for VGOV.L and SDIA.L
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer