- 5Y
- -33.28%
- $10K became
- $6,672
TLT vs SPY
Total return with dividends reinvested · 5Y
- 5Y
- +81.51%
- $10K became
- $18,151
Return and risk 5Y
| Ticker | $10K became | Total | Per year | Volatility | Worst drop | Off high now | Best year | Worst year | Years up | Corr. with TLT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLT | $6,672 | -33.28% | -7.79% | 15.7% | -43.69% | -37.95% | +3.98% 2025 | -29.39% 2022 | 50% | — |
| SPY | $18,151 | +81.51% | +12.69% | 17.2% | -24.49% | -0.77% | +26.73% 2023 | -18.64% 2022 | 75% | 0.09 |
- $10K became
- $6,672
- Total
- -33.28%
- Per year
- -7.79%
- Volatility
- 15.7%
- Worst drop
- -43.69%
- Off high now
- -37.95%
- Best year
- +3.98% 2025
- Worst year
- -29.39% 2022
- $10K became
- $18,151
- Total
- +81.51%
- Per year
- +12.69%
- Volatility
- 17.2%
- Worst drop
- -24.49%
- Off high now
- -0.77%
- Best year
- +26.73% 2023
- Worst year
- -18.64% 2022
Per year is the compound annual growth rate and needs a year of history. Volatility is the yearly spread of daily returns. Best and worst years count full calendar years only.
Drawdown from peak 5Y
Correlation of daily returns
1 moves together, 0 unrelated, negative moves opposite. Lower correlation means more diversification.
Trailing returns up to 5 years
| Ticker | 1Y | 2Y | 3Y | 5Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLT | — | — | — | — |
| SPY | — | — | — | — |
Calendar-year returns best each year in bold
| Year | TLT | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| No full years in this range yet. | ||
More comparisons
About this comparison
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) total return over 5Y: TLT -33.28%, SPY +81.51%. As of Oct 21, 2026. Research only.
As of 2026-10-19, TLT closed at $79.46, down 0.74%, while SPY finished at $766.5, up 0.42%. The five-year total-return overlay highlights a stark divergence in performance between the two instruments. TLT has returned -33.4% over the period, reflecting the headwinds faced by long-duration government debt. In contrast, SPY delivered a +81.2% return, underscoring the resilience of the U.S. large-cap equity index during the same timeframe. TLT currently operates within a bear market regime, with a directional signal indicating a sell posture. The fund’s quality score stands at 26.80, classified as a balanced archetype. Conversely, SPY remains in a bull market regime, carrying a buy signal and a higher quality score of 54.40. Both tickers are categorized as balanced archetypes, though their recent trajectories and regime classifications differ significantly. Readers can consult the individual stock pages for detailed overlay metrics and methodology.
What does the TLT vs SPY overlay show?
LOPJLB overlays TLT vs SPY as total return (dividends and splits) from the first adjusted close in the selected 5Y window. Each path starts at 0% so you can read relative holding performance, not raw tape price.
Is this holding return or tape close?
Holding return. The series uses split- and dividend-adjusted close (Yahoo-style backward adjustment) when dividend coverage is sufficient, otherwise it falls back to tape close. Candles and technical overlays on /chart stay tape.
Which windows are public?
Public visitors can share 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y, and 5Y. MAX is Research+. Direction and regime in the table follow the desk ladder: SPY25 on Free, full book on Essential+.
How do I read the drawdown, period, and annual tables?
Drawdowns are current and worst peak-to-trough on the visible range. Periods are calendar lookbacks (1Y / 2Y / 3Y / 5Y, plus 10Y on MAX) from the last bar. Annual is calendar-year holding return, with the latest year labeled YTD.
How has TLT vs SPY performed on a normalized basis?
TLT vs SPY holding-return overlay: 5Y TLT -33.28% · SPY +81.51%; worst drawdown TLT -43.69% · SPY -24.49%; YTD TLT -4.57% · SPY +14.05%. Numbers update from the live compare-series book.
Is ticker compare investment advice?
No. The overlay is research context only — not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.