CUTAX vs. UUSTX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

CUTAX (Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund) and UUSTX (USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund) are both Ultrashort Bond funds. Over the past 5 years, CUTAX returned 2.35%/yr vs 3.53%/yr for UUSTX. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CUTAX charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.62%/yr for UUSTX.

Performance

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund (CUTAX) and USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (UUSTX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with CUTAX having a 1.44% return and UUSTX slightly higher at 1.49%.

CUTAX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.74%
• YTD: 1.44%
• 6M: 1.76%
• 1Y: 3.64%
• 3Y*: 3.88%
• 5Y*: 2.35%
• 10Y*: —

UUSTX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.37%
• YTD: 1.49%
• 6M: 1.98%
• 1Y: 4.64%
• 3Y*: 5.56%
• 5Y*: 3.53%
• 10Y*: 2.97%

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

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
CUTAX Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund	1.44%	3.69%	3.74%	3.86%	-0.79%	0.02%	1.79%	0.49%	-0.20%
UUSTX USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund	1.49%	5.25%	6.20%	5.57%	-0.69%	0.78%	3.00%	4.37%	0.89%

Correlation

The correlation between CUTAX and UUSTX is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 10, 2018	0.21

Return for Risk

CUTAX vs. UUSTX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CUTAX

CUTAX Risk / Return Rank: 98
CUTAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
CUTAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
CUTAX Omega Ratio Rank: 99
CUTAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
CUTAX Martin Ratio Rank: 98

UUSTX

UUSTX Risk / Return Rank: 98
UUSTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
UUSTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
UUSTX Omega Ratio Rank: 99
UUSTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
UUSTX Martin Ratio Rank: 98

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund (CUTAX) and USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (UUSTX). 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.

	CUTAX	UUSTX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.77	3.17	+0.59
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	7.41	9.79	-2.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	3.01	3.08	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.07	7.84	-1.78
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	38.49	38.33	+0.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CUTAX Sharpe Ratio is 3.77, which is comparable to the UUSTX Sharpe Ratio of 3.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CUTAX and UUSTX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CUTAX	UUSTX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.77	3.17	+0.59
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	2.23	2.35	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.98	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.87	1.82	+0.05

Drawdowns

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CUTAX drawdown since its inception was -1.79%, smaller than the maximum UUSTX drawdown of -7.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CUTAX and UUSTX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CUTAX	UUSTX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-1.79%	-7.34%	+5.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.61%	-0.59%	-0.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.01%	-0.59%	-0.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-1.73%	-2.53%	+0.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-7.34%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.21%	-0.27%	+0.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.10%	0.12%	-0.02%

Volatility

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Volatility Comparison

Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund (CUTAX) has a higher volatility of 0.66% compared to USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (UUSTX) at 0.40%. This indicates that CUTAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than UUSTX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CUTAX	UUSTX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.66%	0.40%	+0.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.80%	1.04%	-0.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.98%	1.47%	-0.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	1.06%	1.51%	-0.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.95%	1.50%	-0.55%

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CUTAX has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than UUSTX's 0.62% expense ratio.

Dividends

CUTAX vs. UUSTX - Dividend Comparison

CUTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.07%, less than UUSTX's 4.53% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CUTAX Six Circles Tax Aware Ultra Short Duration Fund	3.07%	3.22%	3.47%	2.86%	1.14%	0.52%	1.38%	0.48%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
UUSTX USAA Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund	4.53%	4.81%	5.30%	3.87%	2.01%	0.87%	2.10%	2.66%	2.38%	1.60%	1.31%	1.33%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CUTAX and UUSTX in my portfolio?

CUTAX and UUSTX have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CUTAX or UUSTX?

CUTAX has higher volatility (0.66%) compared to UUSTX (0.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CUTAX dropped -1.79% vs UUSTX's -7.34%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CUTAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.77 vs 3.17), 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.