YLD vs. SGOV
YLD (Principal Active High Yield ETF) and SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - YLD is a High Yield Bonds fund actively managed by Principal, while SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. YLD is actively managed, while SGOV is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, YLD returned 4.77%/yr vs 3.54%/yr for SGOV. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. YLD charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SGOV.
Performance
YLD vs. SGOV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, YLD achieves a 2.97% return, which is significantly higher than SGOV's 1.52% return.
YLD
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- 0.39%
- YTD
- 2.97%
- 6M
- 3.53%
- 1Y
- 7.28%
- 3Y*
- 8.69%
- 5Y*
- 4.77%
- 10Y*
- 5.73%
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.52%
- 6M
- 1.79%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 4.72%
- 5Y*
- 3.54%
- 10Y*
- —
YLD vs. SGOV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
YLD Principal Active High Yield ETF | 2.97% | 6.55% | 9.19% | 12.93% | -8.78% | 9.17% | 13.62% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.52% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between YLD and SGOV is -0.21, 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 | -0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2020 | -0.02 |
The correlation between YLD and SGOV shifts across timeframes, from -0.21 (1 year) to 0.01 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
YLD vs. SGOV — Risk / Return Rank
YLD
SGOV
YLD vs. SGOV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Active High Yield ETF (YLD) and iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV). 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.
| YLD | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -18.59 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -273.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 195.55 | -194.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.70 | 398.20 | -394.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.81 | 4,462.00 | -4,449.19 |
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
| YLD | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.69 | 20.28 | -18.59 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.75 | 14.74 | -13.99 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.70 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 12.49 | -11.84 |
Drawdowns
YLD vs. SGOV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum YLD drawdown since its inception was -28.34%, which is greater than SGOV's maximum drawdown of -0.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for YLD and SGOV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| YLD | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.34% | -0.03% | -28.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.98% | -0.01% | -1.97% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.62% | -0.01% | -5.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.89% | -0.03% | -13.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.34% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.24% | 0.00% | -0.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.70% | -0.00% | -2.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.57% | 0.00% | +0.57% |
Volatility
YLD vs. SGOV - Volatility Comparison
Principal Active High Yield ETF (YLD) has a higher volatility of 1.31% compared to iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) at 0.05%. This indicates that YLD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGOV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| YLD | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.31% | 0.05% | +1.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.50% | 0.13% | +3.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.34% | 0.20% | +4.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.39% | 0.24% | +6.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.21% | 0.24% | +7.97% |
YLD vs. SGOV - Expense Ratio Comparison
YLD has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than SGOV's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
YLD vs. SGOV - Dividend Comparison
YLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.26%, more than SGOV's 3.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.86% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
YLD Principal Active High Yield ETF | 7.26% | 7.33% | 7.12% | 6.46% | 6.51% | 3.92% | 4.40% | 4.81% | 5.42% | 6.28% | 4.47% | 2.56% |
Frequently Asked Questions
YLD and SGOV have a correlation of -0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
YLD has higher volatility (1.31%) compared to SGOV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, YLD dropped -28.34% vs SGOV's -0.03%.
On 5-year performance, YLD leads with 4.77% vs 3.54% for SGOV. On fees, SGOV is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, YLD has performed better with a 4.77% return vs 3.54%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for YLD.
YLD has the higher dividend yield at 7.26%, compared with 3.86% for SGOV.
YLD is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while SGOV is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: Principal and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.39% for YLD and 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 1.69), 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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