GBF vs. NUBD
GBF (iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF) and NUBD (Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both Intermediate Core Bond funds - GBF tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index while NUBD tracks the Bloomberg MSCI U.S. Aggregate ESG Select Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GBF returned -0.27%/yr vs -0.11%/yr for NUBD. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. GBF charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for NUBD.
Performance
GBF vs. NUBD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GBF achieves a -0.06% return, which is significantly lower than NUBD's -0.02% return.
GBF
- 1D
- -0.41%
- 1M
- -0.34%
- YTD
- -0.06%
- 6M
- -0.10%
- 1Y
- 4.32%
- 3Y*
- 3.47%
- 5Y*
- -0.27%
- 10Y*
- 1.45%
NUBD
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -0.25%
- YTD
- -0.02%
- 6M
- 0.18%
- 1Y
- 4.73%
- 3Y*
- 3.66%
- 5Y*
- -0.11%
- 10Y*
- —
GBF vs. NUBD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBF iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF | -0.06% | 6.41% | 0.99% | 5.79% | -13.85% | -2.30% | 8.76% | 9.47% | -0.52% | 0.49% |
NUBD Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | -0.02% | 6.75% | 1.31% | 5.42% | -12.90% | -2.19% | 7.17% | 8.22% | 0.32% | 0.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between GBF and NUBD is 0.92, 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 | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2017 | 0.89 |
The correlation between GBF and NUBD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
GBF vs. NUBD — Risk / Return Rank
GBF
NUBD
GBF vs. NUBD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF (GBF) and Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUBD). 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.
| GBF | NUBD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.20 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.39 | 1.54 | -0.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.07 | 4.54 | -0.46 |
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
| GBF | NUBD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.02 | 1.13 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.05 | -0.02 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.28 | +0.29 |
Drawdowns
GBF vs. NUBD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GBF drawdown since its inception was -19.67%, roughly equal to the maximum NUBD drawdown of -19.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GBF and NUBD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GBF | NUBD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.67% | -19.45% | -0.22% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.73% | -2.76% | +0.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.78% | -5.94% | +0.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.45% | -17.90% | -0.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.67% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.10% | -4.14% | -0.96% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.67% | -6.05% | +2.38% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.93% | 0.94% | -0.01% |
Volatility
GBF vs. NUBD - Volatility Comparison
iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF (GBF) and Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUBD) have volatilities of 1.20% and 1.21%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GBF | NUBD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.20% | 1.21% | -0.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.66% | 2.64% | +0.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.73% | 3.77% | -0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.93% | 5.99% | -0.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.28% | 5.12% | +0.16% |
GBF vs. NUBD - Expense Ratio Comparison
GBF has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than NUBD's 0.15% 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
GBF vs. NUBD - Dividend Comparison
GBF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.80%, less than NUBD's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBF iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF | 3.80% | 3.81% | 3.94% | 3.03% | 2.13% | 1.22% | 1.64% | 2.64% | 2.59% | 2.31% | 2.09% | 2.04% |
NUBD Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.00% | 3.90% | 3.51% | 2.99% | 2.83% | 2.05% | 2.21% | 2.66% | 3.08% | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, GBF and NUBD move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
NUBD has higher volatility (1.21%) compared to GBF (1.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GBF dropped -19.67% vs NUBD's -19.45%.
On 5-year performance, NUBD leads with -0.11% vs -0.27% for GBF. On fees, NUBD is cheaper at 0.15% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, NUBD has performed better with a -0.11% return vs -0.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUBD is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for GBF.
NUBD has the higher dividend yield at 4.00%, compared with 3.80% for GBF.
GBF tracks Bloomberg U.S. Government/Credit Bond Index, while NUBD tracks Bloomberg MSCI U.S. Aggregate ESG Select Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Nuveen. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for GBF and 0.15% for NUBD.
NUBD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.13 vs 1.02), 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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