What if you invested monthly in an Investment-grade corporate-bond ETF (LQD) for 15 years?
See how a 15-year monthly investment into LQD, which holds investment-grade corporate bonds from strong U.S. companies, would have looked using real data. It pays more interest than Treasuries but carries both interest-rate and credit risk.
Investment conditions
Asset · Investment-grade corporate-bond ETF (LQD)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2011-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $222 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-21.8%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
1months
Months in loss: 1
Recovery period
13months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $49,401 (+22.8%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -21.8%
Why this period and asset
LQD holds corporate bonds issued by highly rated (investment-grade) U.S. companies. It offers more yield than Treasuries (a credit spread), but that reflects some corporate credit risk. LQD holds many relatively long-dated bonds, making it sensitive to rate changes. The low-rate years of 2011-2021 were favorable, but during the 2022 rate surge it fell sharply, much like Treasuries. When recession fears rise, credit spreads can widen and push corporate-bond prices down further.
Interpreting the result
Investment-grade corporate bonds sit roughly between Treasuries and stocks on the risk-return spectrum. Check the maximum drawdown, underwater period, and recovery time on the results screen to see the size of the risk taken in exchange for extra yield. With high rate sensitivity, it can move like Treasuries when rates rise and like stocks during credit stress. Monthly investing only spreads out purchase timing; it does not remove losses.
Caveats & limits
LQD carries both interest-rate sensitivity and corporate credit risk. As a foreign asset, exchange rates affect won-denominated returns, and expense ratios, trading costs, and taxes on distributions lower performance. Past behavior does not guarantee the future, and this page does not recommend buying any specific asset.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: 調整後終値(配当・株式分割を反映)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Are corporate bonds riskier than Treasuries?
Investment-grade corporate bonds have low default risk, but they carry corporate credit risk that Treasuries do not, which is why they pay more interest. Comparing the maximum drawdown here with a Treasury scenario helps gauge the difference.
Is LQD more sensitive to rates or credit?
LQD holds many long-dated bonds, so it usually reacts strongly to rate changes. During periods of rising recession fears, however, a widening credit spread can add to the price pressure.
Does investing monthly reduce credit risk?
Dollar-cost averaging only spreads out your timing; it does not remove an individual issuer's credit risk or a broad market decline. It is important to review the underwater period and recovery time together.
Related scenarios
📋 結果は過去のデータに基づくものです。過去のリターンは将来のリターンを保証しません。
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