FLTB vs. BBSB

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FLTB (Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF) and BBSB (JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FLTB is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by Fidelity, while BBSB is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index. FLTB is actively managed, while BBSB is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, FLTB returned 5.52%/yr vs 4.15%/yr for BBSB. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FLTB charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for BBSB.

Performance

FLTB vs. BBSB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF (FLTB) and JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF (BBSB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FLTB achieves a 0.84% return, which is significantly higher than BBSB's 0.55% return.

FLTB

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 0.84%
• 6M: 1.18%
• 1Y: 4.37%
• 3Y*: 5.52%
• 5Y*: 2.26%
• 10Y*: 2.47%

BBSB

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: 0.13%
• YTD: 0.55%
• 6M: 0.88%
• 1Y: 3.32%
• 3Y*: 4.15%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

FLTB vs. BBSB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
FLTB Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF	0.84%	6.60%	5.14%	3.86%
BBSB JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF	0.55%	5.12%	4.00%	2.56%

Correlation

The correlation between FLTB and BBSB is 0.71, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.71
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 21, 2023	0.77

The correlation between FLTB and BBSB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.71 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

FLTB vs. BBSB - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FLTB	BBSB
Technology	0.0%	-
Financial Services	0.0%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	99.7%
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

FLTB vs. BBSB — Risk / Return Rank

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

FLTB

FLTB Risk / Return Rank: 66
FLTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
FLTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
FLTB Omega Ratio Rank: 66
FLTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
FLTB Martin Ratio Rank: 68

BBSB

BBSB Risk / Return Rank: 84
BBSB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
BBSB Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
BBSB Omega Ratio Rank: 88
BBSB Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
BBSB Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

FLTB vs. BBSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF (FLTB) and JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF (BBSB). 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.

	FLTB	BBSB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.08	2.64	-0.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.20	4.47	-1.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.54	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.88	3.89	-1.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.23	16.07	-3.85
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FLTB vs. BBSB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FLTB Sharpe Ratio is 2.08, which is comparable to the BBSB Sharpe Ratio of 2.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FLTB and BBSB, 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

	FLTB	BBSB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.08	2.64	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.85	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.83	2.36	-1.53

Drawdowns

FLTB vs. BBSB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FLTB drawdown since its inception was -9.37%, which is greater than BBSB's maximum drawdown of -1.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLTB and BBSB.

Drawdown Indicators

	FLTB	BBSB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.37%	-1.57%	-7.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.52%	-0.86%	-0.66%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.52%	-0.96%	-0.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.26%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-9.37%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.26%	-0.18%	-0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.40%	-0.31%	-1.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.36%	0.21%	+0.15%

Volatility

FLTB vs. BBSB - Volatility Comparison

Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF (FLTB) has a higher volatility of 0.62% compared to JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF (BBSB) at 0.36%. This indicates that FLTB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BBSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FLTB	BBSB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.62%	0.36%	+0.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.63%	0.85%	+0.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.13%	1.27%	+0.86%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.80%	1.66%	+1.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.94%	1.66%	+1.28%

FLTB vs. BBSB - Expense Ratio Comparison

FLTB has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than BBSB's 0.04% 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

FLTB vs. BBSB - Dividend Comparison

FLTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.36%, more than BBSB's 3.81% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BBSB JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF	3.81%	3.69%	4.84%	3.50%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FLTB Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF	4.36%	4.31%	4.11%	3.20%	1.63%	0.89%	1.56%	2.67%	2.50%	1.78%	1.59%	1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FLTB and BBSB in my portfolio?

FLTB and BBSB 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, FLTB or BBSB?

FLTB has higher volatility (0.62%) compared to BBSB (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLTB dropped -9.37% vs BBSB's -1.57%.

Which ETF is better, FLTB or BBSB?

On 3-year performance, FLTB leads with 5.52% vs 4.15% for BBSB. On fees, BBSB is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, BBSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FLTB or BBSB?

Over the 3-year period, FLTB has performed better with a 5.52% return vs 4.15%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FLTB or BBSB?

BBSB is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for FLTB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FLTB or BBSB?

FLTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.36%, compared with 3.81% for BBSB.

What is the main difference between FLTB and BBSB?

FLTB is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while BBSB is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: Fidelity and JPMorgan. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for FLTB and 0.04% for BBSB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BBSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.64 vs 2.08), 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.