CAFX vs. USFI

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

CAFX (Congress Intermediate Bond ETF) and USFI (BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CAFX is a Intermediate Core Bond fund actively managed by Congress, while USFI is a Actively Managed fund actively managed by BrandywineGLOBAL. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, CAFX returned 1.77% vs 2.86% for USFI. Their 0.75 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. CAFX charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for USFI.

Performance

CAFX vs. USFI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Congress Intermediate Bond ETF (CAFX) and BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF (USFI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CAFX achieves a -0.07% return, which is significantly lower than USFI's 0.56% return.

CAFX

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: -0.55%
• 6M: -0.16%
• YTD: -0.07%
• 1Y: 1.77%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 2.51%

USFI

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: -0.83%
• 6M: 0.47%
• YTD: 0.56%
• 1Y: 2.86%
• 3Y*: 3.91%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 3.82%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
CAFX Congress Intermediate Bond ETF	$652.76K	$602.99K	$771.28K
USFI BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF	$231.12	$248.47	$6.98K

CAFX vs. USFI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CAFX Congress Intermediate Bond ETF	-0.07%	6.46%	-1.50%
USFI BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF	0.56%	6.96%	-4.07%

Correlation

The correlation between CAFX and USFI is 0.71, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.71
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2024	0.75

The correlation between CAFX and USFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.71 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

CAFX vs. USFI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

CAFX

CAFX Risk / Return Rank: 36
CAFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
CAFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
CAFX Omega Ratio Rank: 33
CAFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
CAFX Martin Ratio Rank: 35

USFI

USFI Risk / Return Rank: 60
USFI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
USFI Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
USFI Omega Ratio Rank: 48
USFI Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
USFI Martin Ratio Rank: 65

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

CAFX vs. USFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Congress Intermediate Bond ETF (CAFX) and BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF (USFI). 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.

	CAFX	USFI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.88	1.19	-0.31
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.34	1.92	-0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.22	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.42	3.46	-2.04
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.51	8.04	-4.54

CAFX vs. USFI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CAFX Sharpe Ratio is 0.88, which is comparable to the USFI Sharpe Ratio of 1.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CAFX and USFI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

CAFX vs. USFI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CAFX drawdown since its inception was -2.63%, smaller than the maximum USFI drawdown of -8.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAFX and USFI.

Drawdown Indicators

	CAFX	USFI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.63%	-8.47%	+5.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.79%	-1.11%	-0.68%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-7.69%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.27%	-1.00%	-0.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.75%	-2.06%	+1.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.72%	0.47%	+0.25%

Volatility

CAFX vs. USFI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Congress Intermediate Bond ETF (CAFX) is 0.65%, while BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF (USFI) has a volatility of 0.74%. This indicates that CAFX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USFI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CAFX	USFI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.65%	0.74%	-0.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.00%	1.66%	+0.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.87%	3.20%	-0.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.12%	6.84%	-3.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.12%	6.84%	-3.72%

CAFX vs. USFI - Expense Ratio Comparison

CAFX has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than USFI's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

CAFX vs. USFI - Dividend Comparison

CAFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.07%, less than USFI's 4.46% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
CAFX Congress Intermediate Bond ETF	4.07%	3.92%	0.96%	0.00%
USFI BrandywineGLOBAL - U.S. Fixed Income ETF	4.04%	4.42%	4.60%	1.83%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CAFX and USFI in my portfolio?

CAFX and USFI have a correlation of 0.71, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CAFX or USFI?

USFI has higher volatility (0.74%) compared to CAFX (0.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAFX dropped -2.63% vs USFI's -8.47%.

Which ETF is better, CAFX or USFI?

On 1-year performance, USFI leads with 2.86% vs 1.77% for CAFX. On fees, CAFX is cheaper at 0.35% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CAFX or USFI?

Over the 1-year period, USFI has performed better with a 2.86% return vs 1.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CAFX or USFI?

CAFX is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for USFI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CAFX or USFI?

CAFX has the higher dividend yield at 4.07%, compared with 4.04% for USFI.

What is the main difference between CAFX and USFI?

CAFX is categorized as Intermediate Core Bond, while USFI is Actively Managed. They also come from different issuers: Congress and BrandywineGLOBAL. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for CAFX and 0.39% for USFI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.19 vs 0.88), 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.