iShares TIPS Bond ETF (NYSE: TIP ) Treasury inflation protected securities finished 2014 with a very understated return compared to investment grade corporate and traditional Treasury bonds. However, TIP has jumped out of the gate with a gain of over 3 percent in 2015 and is currently trading near its 52-week highs. Simply put, TIP is a play on pernicious inflationary pressures and may be viewed as a value-oriented area of the bond market compared to the high flying iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NYSE: IEF ).