IMTB vs SPY
iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IMTB or SPY?
Short Term Mid Quality against Large Cap Blend.
IMTB has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | IMTB | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $273M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.57% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 3,444 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -1.53% | +11.52%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.51% | +17.48%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +4.80% | +20.62%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +0.00% | +12.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.3%Best | 15.5% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.3%Best | -34.1% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,000 | $18,205Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Short Term Mid Quality | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 1, 2016 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 7, 2016 to Sep 10, 2026 (9.8 years).
IMTB vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
IMTB vs SPY Performance
iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (IMTB) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year IMTB returned -0.51% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, IMTB is down 1.53% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, IMTB compounded at +4.80% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +0.00% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 10-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.62% annualized vs +0.48%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.5% compared with 5.3% for IMTB. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -18.3% for IMTB and -34.1% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.47. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IMTB charges 0.06% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $9 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IMTB currently yields 4.57% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.6% of SPY's money is in holdings IMTB also owns.
Stated as a floor: for IMTB, our book for it covers 90.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 2,758 positions we hold weights for in IMTB and 504 in SPY, against full books of 3,444 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in IMTB | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEGeneral Electric Co. | 0.01% | 0.59% | 0.58% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of IMTB and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, IMTB or SPY?
IMTB has an expense ratio of 0.06% while SPY charges 0.09%. IMTB is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IMTB or SPY?
Over the past year IMTB returned -0.51% vs +17.48% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (10 years), IMTB annualized +0.48% vs +14.62% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IMTB or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.5% annualized versus 5.3% for IMTB. Worst drawdown: IMTB -18.3% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both IMTB and SPY?
IMTB and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.47, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, IMTB or SPY?
IMTB yields 4.57% while SPY yields 0.98%, so IMTB currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IMTB?
IMTB has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.