FCSH vs. ISTB
FCSH (Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF) and ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) are both Short-Term Bond funds. FCSH is actively managed, while ISTB is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, FCSH returned 5.11%/yr vs 4.95%/yr for ISTB. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FCSH charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for ISTB.
Performance
FCSH vs. ISTB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FCSH achieves a 0.67% return, which is significantly higher than ISTB's 0.49% return.
FCSH
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 0.67%
- 6M
- 0.92%
- 1Y
- 4.30%
- 3Y*
- 5.11%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ISTB
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- 0.49%
- 6M
- 0.71%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- 1.85%
- 10Y*
- 2.27%
FCSH vs. ISTB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCSH Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF | 0.67% | 6.42% | 4.66% | 5.45% | -5.87% | 0.24% |
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.49% | 6.36% | 4.37% | 5.56% | -6.08% | -0.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between FCSH and ISTB is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 20, 2021 | 0.91 |
The correlation between FCSH and ISTB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.
FCSH vs. ISTB - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
FCSH
ISTB
Energy
-
Basic Materials
-
-
Communication Services
-
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
-
Consumer Defensive
-
-
Financial Services
-
-
Healthcare
-
-
Industrials
-
-
Real Estate
-
Technology
-
-
Utilities
-
Energy
FCSH
ISTB
-
Basic Materials
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Communication Services
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Consumer Cyclical
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Consumer Defensive
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Financial Services
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Healthcare
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Industrials
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Real Estate
FCSH
-
ISTB
Technology
FCSH
-
ISTB
-
Utilities
FCSH
-
ISTB
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Return for Risk
FCSH vs. ISTB — Risk / Return Rank
FCSH
ISTB
FCSH vs. ISTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF (FCSH) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB). 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.
| FCSH | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.16 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.25 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.46 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.48 | 3.34 | +0.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.31 | 12.72 | -0.41 |
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
| FCSH | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.21 | 2.37 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.67 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.91 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.84 | +0.02 |
Drawdowns
FCSH vs. ISTB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FCSH drawdown since its inception was -8.47%, smaller than the maximum ISTB drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FCSH and ISTB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FCSH | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.47% | -9.34% | +0.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.24% | -1.26% | +0.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.32% | -1.36% | +0.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -9.34% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -9.34% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.47% | -0.42% | -0.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.21% | -1.22% | -0.99% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.35% | 0.33% | +0.02% |
Volatility
FCSH vs. ISTB - Volatility Comparison
Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF (FCSH) has a higher volatility of 0.60% compared to iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) at 0.54%. This indicates that FCSH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ISTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FCSH | ISTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.60% | 0.54% | +0.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.53% | 1.28% | +0.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.95% | 1.77% | +0.18% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.89% | 2.79% | +0.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.89% | 2.51% | +0.38% |
FCSH vs. ISTB - Expense Ratio Comparison
FCSH has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than ISTB's 0.06% expense ratio.
Dividends
FCSH vs. ISTB - Dividend Comparison
FCSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.08%, less than ISTB's 4.25% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCSH Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF | 4.08% | 4.14% | 4.44% | 2.31% | 1.76% | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.25% | 4.12% | 3.83% | 2.97% | 2.01% | 1.69% | 2.20% | 2.75% | 2.57% | 2.06% | 1.90% | 1.58% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FCSH and ISTB have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FCSH has higher volatility (0.60%) compared to ISTB (0.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FCSH dropped -8.47% vs ISTB's -9.34%.
On 3-year performance, FCSH leads with 5.11% vs 4.95% for ISTB. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FCSH has performed better with a 5.11% return vs 4.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.30% for FCSH.
ISTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.25%, compared with 4.08% for FCSH.
They also come from different issuers: Federated and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for FCSH and 0.06% for ISTB.
ISTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 2.21), 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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