First Trust Intermediate Government… (MGOV) Performance
MGOV total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −1.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −1.1% total return
- 3 years
- +6.1% a year
- Since first price
- +4.1% a year since 2023
MGOV trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | MGOV total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.8% | +0.1% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −1.1% | −2.2% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −2.5% | −4.6% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | −1.6% | −5.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | −1.1% | −6.0% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +19.6%+6.1%/yr | +2.5% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionAug 3, 2023 | +13.9%+4.1%/yr | −2.7% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: MGOV vs SPY
From Aug 3, 2023: MGOV grew to $11,394, SPY to $17,619.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
MGOV returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2025 (+9.0%), worst 2024 (+1.6%). 2026 is year to date.
MGOV annual returns table
| Year | MGOV | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −1.6% | −6.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +9.0% | −3.6% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +1.6% | −5.0% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
MGOV risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +4.5% | +3.5% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.6% | 6.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.04 | -0.11 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.06 | -0.15 |
| Best month | +5.2% | +5.2% |
| Worst month | −3.7% | −3.7% |
| Best 12 months | +13.0% | +13.0% |
| Worst 12 months | −2.1% | −2.1% |
| Positive months | 67% | 65% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.25 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.47 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
MGOV rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 27 | −2.1% | +5.7% | +13.0% | 93% |
| 3-year (a year) | 3 | +4.5% | +4.9% | +6.0% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
MGOV performance overview
First Trust Intermediate Government… (MGOV) returned −1.1% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +4.1% a year, turning $10,000 into about $11,394. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
Related: MGOV chart, MGOV dividends. See the MGOV overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
MGOV performance FAQ
What is the MGOV return over the past year?
MGOV returned −1.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 6.0%.
How much would $10,000 invested in MGOV be worth?
$10,000 invested in MGOV at its first recorded close on August 3, 2023 would be worth about $11,394 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for MGOV?
The worst calendar year was 2024, with a total return of +1.6%. The best was 2025 at +9.0%.
How volatile is MGOV?
Over the past 3 years MGOV had an annualized volatility of 6.6% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.04 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).