BIV vs. UL
BIV (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF) is Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5–10 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Bond Index, while UL (Unilever PLC) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, BIV returned 1.75%/yr vs 5.17%/yr for UL. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions.
Performance
BIV vs. UL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BIV achieves a -0.40% return, which is significantly higher than UL's -3.56% return. Over the past 10 years, BIV has underperformed UL with an annualized return of 1.75%, while UL has yielded a comparatively higher 5.17% annualized return.
BIV
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- -0.41%
- 6M
- -0.26%
- YTD
- -0.40%
- 1Y
- 3.43%
- 3Y*
- 4.27%
- 5Y*
- -0.08%
- 10Y*
- 1.75%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.79%
UL
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- 6.16%
- 6M
- -2.23%
- YTD
- -3.56%
- 1Y
- -4.56%
- 3Y*
- 5.22%
- 5Y*
- 2.26%
- 10Y*
- 5.17%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.38%
BIV vs. UL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF | -0.40% | 8.52% | 1.57% | 6.07% | -13.21% | -2.40% | 9.67% | 10.34% | -0.19% | 3.65% |
UL Unilever PLC | -3.56% | 5.96% | 20.90% | -0.17% | -2.82% | -7.61% | 9.04% | 12.88% | -2.34% | 40.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between BIV and UL is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2007 | -0.02 |
The correlation between BIV and UL shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (all time) to 0.28 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BIV vs. UL — Risk / Return Rank
BIV
UL
BIV vs. UL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV) and Unilever PLC (UL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BIV | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 0.98 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.09 | -0.18 | +1.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.80 | -0.35 | +3.14 |
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Drawdowns
BIV vs. UL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BIV drawdown since its inception was -18.95%, smaller than the maximum UL drawdown of -53.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BIV and UL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BIV | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.95% | -53.55% | +34.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.18% | -25.09% | +21.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.55% | -25.09% | +19.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.74% | -25.09% | +6.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.95% | -30.13% | +11.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.20% | -15.44% | +13.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.38% | -10.62% | +7.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.23% | 13.20% | -11.97% |
Volatility
BIV vs. UL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV) is 1.18%, while Unilever PLC (UL) has a volatility of 6.50%. This indicates that BIV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BIV | UL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.18% | 6.50% | -5.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.15% | 17.27% | -14.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.04% | 22.22% | -18.18% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.41% | 21.04% | -14.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.50% | 21.52% | -16.02% |
Dividends
BIV vs. UL - Dividend Comparison
BIV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.26%, more than UL's 3.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF | 4.26% | 4.01% | 3.79% | 3.09% | 2.41% | 3.42% | 2.95% | 2.75% | 2.88% | 2.69% | 3.01% | 3.02% |
UL Unilever PLC | 3.68% | 3.51% | 3.29% | 3.83% | 3.57% | 3.77% | 3.07% | 3.18% | 3.49% | 2.80% | 3.42% | 3.02% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BIV and UL have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UL has higher volatility (6.50%) compared to BIV (1.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BIV dropped -18.95% vs UL's -53.55%.
BIV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.85 vs -0.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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