BOND vs. TLT — ETF comparison tool (2024)

FAQs

BOND vs. TLT — ETF comparison tool? ›

TLT - Performance Comparison. In the year-to-date period, BOND achieves a 1.26% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -3.62% return. Over the past 10 years, BOND has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 1.89%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower 0.69% annualized return.

For many investors, investing in the right bond funds can be a better option than holding a portfolio of individual bonds. Bond ETFs can provide better diversification — often for a lower cost — can offer higher liquidity, and can be easier to implement.

VGLT - Volatility Comparison. iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a higher volatility of 4.42% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) at 4.04%.

TLT - Volatility Comparison. The current volatility for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) is 1.74%, while iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a volatility of 4.42%. This indicates that AGG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than TLT based on this measure.

TLT - Performance Comparison. In the year-to-date period, BOND achieves a 0.23% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -5.57% return. Over the past 10 years, BOND has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 1.80%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower 0.45% annualized return.

Disadvantages of Investing in Bond ETFs

Credit risk: Bond ETFs hold a portfolio of bonds, and the credit quality of these bonds can vary. If the ETF holds bonds with lower credit ratings, it may be exposed to higher credit risk. Defaults or downgrades of the underlying bonds can have an impact on the ETF's performance.

TLT has a dividend yield of 3.74% and paid $3.54 per share in the past year. The dividend is paid every month and the last ex-dividend date was Jun 3, 2024.

Also available as an Admiral™ Shares mutual fund.

Does TLT yield change? ›

TLT Inflows Grow as 20-Year Treasury Yield Climbs

Today's yields reflect market expectations of higher-for-longer inflation. If TLT investors are correct, yields will fall back down, and they will be rewarded with potentially significant price gains.

The largest Treasury ETF is the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF TLT with $51.55B in assets. In the last trailing year, the best-performing Treasury ETF was TMV at 20.86%. The most recent ETF launched in the Treasury space was the iShares iBonds Dec 2044 Term Treasury ETF IBGA on 06/11/24.

UTWO Analysis & Insights

The fund is designed for those specifically required to track the 2-year tenor on the yield curve. UTWO is part of the first single-bond ETFs suite. The targeted holding makes this ETF very different from other ETFs holding a basket of 2-year Treasury notes.

Individuals, organizations, fiduciaries, and corporate investors may buy Treasury securities through a bank, broker, or dealer. With a bank, broker, or dealer, you may bid for Treasury marketable securities non-competitively or competitively, but not both, for the same auction.

Variable interest rates are a risk you can't discount when you buy an I bond, and it's not like you can just sell the bond when the rate falls. You're locked in for the first year, unable to sell at all.

TIPS offer greater liquidity and the higher yearly limit allows you to stash far more cash in TIPS than I-bonds. If you're saving for education, I-bonds may be the way to go.

I bonds' rates have since dipped from their headline-grabbing heights—they were as high as 9.62% in May of 2022—to 4.28% for the current crop. That rate may still look attractive, but I bonds' variable rates—combined with their five-year lockup period—may give you pause.

Bond ETFs are affected by changing interest rates, because of the impact on the bonds in their underlying portfolios. When interest rates decrease, bond prices increase, and when interest rates rise, bond prices decline.