Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTBrendan Coffey, The Motley FoolSat, September 19, 2026 at 3:57 PM GMT+2 6 min readBonds should be an essential part of a well-balanced portfolio. Factual differences between the Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHQ) and the State Street SPDR Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEMKT:SPLB) center on credit quality, as the Schwab fund tracks government debt while the State Street fund targets investment-grade corporate bonds.Investors seeking exposure to long-dated fixed income typically choose between government-backed securities and corporate credit. While both funds focus on maturities exceeding 10 years, they offer significantly different risk-reward profiles based on their underlying debt issuers and the credit risk investors are willing to accept for higher income.Snapshot (cost & size)MetricSPLBSCHQIssuerSPDRSchwabShare price$21.03 (as of 2026-09-10)$29.44 (as of 2026-09-10)Expense ratio0.04%0.03%1-yr return (as of 2026-09-10)-4.2%-4.9%Dividend yield5.7%5.0%Beta0.630.49AUM$1.2B$843.6MBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns over the available fund history (up to five years). The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield as of the end of trading on Sept. 10, 2026.The Schwab fund is slightly more affordable with a 0.03% expense ratio compared to 0.04% for the SPDR fund. However, those seeking income may find the higher 5.7% yield of the corporate-focused portfolio more attractive.Performance & risk comparisonMetricSPLBSCHQMax drawdown (5 yr)-34.5%-40.9%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)$830$691What's insideThe Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF is a fixed-income fund that provides exposure to the long-duration segment of the U.S. Treasury bond market. It currently holds 102 positions, focusing on government debt with maturities that often exceed 20 years. Because it holds government-backed securities, its credit risk is generally lower than corporate bond alternatives. Its largest positions include a highly diversified selection of Treasuries where no single position is a sizable portion of the portfolio. The fund was launched in 2019. Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF has paid $1.47 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$29.44 share price works out to a 5% yield.The State Street SPDR Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Long Term Corporate Bond Index and holds 2,950 positions. It invests in U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate, investment-grade corporate bonds with maturities of at least 10 years. This fund offers higher income potential by taking on the credit risk associated with private corporations. Its largest positions include a highly diversified array of corporate issues, with no single position exceeding 0.35% of the portfolio. The fund was launched in 2009. State Street SPDR Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF has paid $1.20 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$21.03 share price works out to a 5.7% yield.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info