BKSE vs. BKAG
BKSE (BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF) and BKAG (BNY Mellon Core Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BKSE is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Small Cap Index, while BKAG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg US Aggregate Total Return Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BKSE returned 6.89%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for BKAG. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BKSE charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.00%/yr for BKAG.
Performance
BKSE vs. BKAG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BKSE achieves a 13.03% return, which is significantly higher than BKAG's 0.29% return.
BKSE
- 1D
- -1.11%
- 1M
- 2.60%
- YTD
- 13.03%
- 6M
- 12.11%
- 1Y
- 32.65%
- 3Y*
- 17.40%
- 5Y*
- 6.89%
- 10Y*
- —
BKAG
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.29%
- 6M
- 0.12%
- 1Y
- 5.10%
- 3Y*
- 3.95%
- 5Y*
- 0.07%
- 10Y*
- —
BKSE vs. BKAG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BKSE BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF | 13.03% | 13.09% | 9.56% | 22.37% | -18.44% | 16.18% | 58.04% |
BKAG BNY Mellon Core Bond ETF | 0.29% | 7.23% | 1.17% | 5.67% | -13.29% | -1.46% | 2.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between BKSE and BKAG is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 27, 2020 | 0.13 |
The correlation between BKSE and BKAG shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (all time) to 0.31 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BKSE vs. BKAG — Risk / Return Rank
BKSE
BKAG
BKSE vs. BKAG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF (BKSE) and BNY Mellon Core Bond ETF (BKAG). 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.
| BKSE | BKAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.23 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.49 | 1.86 | +1.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.15 | 5.49 | +6.66 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BKSE | BKAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.87 | 1.32 | +0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 | 0.01 | +0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.73 | 0.01 | +0.72 |
Drawdowns
BKSE vs. BKAG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BKSE drawdown since its inception was -29.08%, which is greater than BKAG's maximum drawdown of -18.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BKSE and BKAG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BKSE | BKAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.08% | -18.53% | -10.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.40% | -2.76% | -6.64% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.76% | -6.04% | -20.72% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.08% | -18.00% | -11.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.11% | -2.32% | +1.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.06% | -7.12% | -1.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.69% | 0.93% | +1.76% |
Volatility
BKSE vs. BKAG - Volatility Comparison
BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF (BKSE) has a higher volatility of 4.47% compared to BNY Mellon Core Bond ETF (BKAG) at 1.22%. This indicates that BKSE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BKAG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BKSE | BKAG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.47% | 1.22% | +3.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.96% | 2.74% | +9.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.63% | 3.87% | +13.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.43% | 6.01% | +15.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.30% | 5.55% | +16.75% |
BKSE vs. BKAG - Expense Ratio Comparison
BKSE has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is higher than BKAG's 0.00% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
BKSE vs. BKAG - Dividend Comparison
BKSE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.16%, less than BKAG's 4.24% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BKAG BNY Mellon Core Bond ETF | 4.24% | 4.17% | 4.26% | 3.33% | 2.49% | 1.55% | 1.16% |
BKSE BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF | 1.16% | 1.26% | 1.55% | 1.38% | 1.50% | 1.17% | 0.82% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BKSE and BKAG have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BKSE has higher volatility (4.47%) compared to BKAG (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BKSE dropped -29.08% vs BKAG's -18.53%.
On 5-year performance, BKSE leads with 6.89% vs 0.07% for BKAG. On fees, BKAG is cheaper at 0.00% per year. On volatility, BKAG has been the lower-risk option at 1.22%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, BKSE has performed better with a 6.89% return vs 0.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BKAG is cheaper with a 0.00% expense ratio, compared with 0.04% for BKSE.
BKAG has the higher dividend yield at 4.24%, compared with 1.16% for BKSE.
BKSE is categorized as Small Cap Growth Equities, while BKAG is Total Bond Market. BKSE tracks Morningstar US Small Cap Index, while BKAG tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Total Return Index. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for BKSE and 0.00% for BKAG.
BKSE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.87 vs 1.32), 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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