Schwab Long-Term US Treasury ETF

SCHQ

Market cap $937M

LQD charges a higher expense ratio but matches SCHQ on yield, offering a diverse corporate bond lineup versus SCHQ's focus on Treasuries. LQD experienced a milder five-year drawdown and delivered better five-year growth than SCHQ.

Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHQ) faces risks from the debasement trade and USD reserve status uncertainty, limiting its fixed income appeal. Recent declines in long-term rates are driven by weaker economic outlooks and the Supreme Court's tariff decision, but the latter catalyst may not be so durable and could reverse. SCHQ offers significant duration exposure (13.8 years) and a lower expense ratio (0.03%) compared to TLT, so it's efficiently run at least.

SCHQ comes with a slightly lower expense ratio and focuses on long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, while SPLB targets long-term investment-grade corporate bonds. SPLB has delivered a stronger 1-year return and higher dividend yield, and has also shown a smaller maximum drawdown than SCHQ.

SCHQ is far cheaper to hold than TLT and currently offers a slightly higher yield. SCHQ has held up better over the past year and through five-year drawdowns, with less severe losses.

SCHQ charges a slightly lower expense ratio but trails SPLB on yield and one-year returns. SPLB has a higher five-year risk exposure but lost less value during recent drawdowns than SCHQ.

Both SCHQ and VGLT charge the same ultra-low expense ratio and focus on long-term U.S. Treasury exposure. VGLT offers far greater assets under management, while SCHQ is newer and smaller.

Both SCHQ and VGLT track long-term U.S. Treasuries with identical expense ratios and nearly the same total returns. VGLT has a longer track record and a significantly higher AUM, but it offers a slightly lower yield than SCHQ.

The Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF has delivered robust returns so far in 2025, benefitting from attractive current yields and capital gains amid falling interest rates. Looking ahead to 2026, I see room for further gains, as Fed rate cuts should more than offset a small acceleration in U.S. economic momentum. SCHQ may also provide trading opportunities for more proactive investors, as was the case in April 2025.

The Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF and Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF both focus holdings on long-term U.S. Treasuries. The two ETFs sport similarities in expense ratios and returns over time.

Not every dividend ETF you buy needs to be boring.