GBIL vs. ULST

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

GBIL (Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF) and ULST (State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GBIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE US Treasury 0-1 Year Composite Select Index, while ULST is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GBIL returned 3.33%/yr vs 3.52%/yr for ULST. At a 0.19 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GBIL charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for ULST.

Performance

GBIL vs. ULST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF (GBIL) and State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GBIL achieves a 1.47% return, which is significantly higher than ULST's 1.25% return.

GBIL

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.27%
• YTD: 1.47%
• 6M: 1.74%
• 1Y: 3.90%
• 3Y*: 4.62%
• 5Y*: 3.33%
• 10Y*: —

ULST

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.15%
• YTD: 1.25%
• 6M: 1.58%
• 1Y: 3.95%
• 3Y*: 4.91%
• 5Y*: 3.52%
• 10Y*: 2.65%

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

GBIL vs. ULST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GBIL Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	1.47%	4.12%	5.24%	4.91%	1.05%	-0.08%	0.79%	2.31%	1.78%	0.69%
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF	1.25%	4.80%	5.23%	5.60%	0.87%	0.25%	1.45%	3.23%	2.04%	1.19%

Correlation

The correlation between GBIL and ULST is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.37
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2016	0.19

Over the past year, GBIL and ULST have become more correlated (0.40) than their long-term average of 0.19, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

GBIL vs. ULST — Risk / Return Rank

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

GBIL

GBIL Risk / Return Rank: 100
GBIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
GBIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
GBIL Omega Ratio Rank: 100
GBIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
GBIL Martin Ratio Rank: 100

ULST

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

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.

GBIL vs. ULST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF (GBIL) and State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST). 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.

	GBIL	ULST	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	17.06	6.08	+10.98
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	106.51	12.18	+94.33
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	43.59	2.76	+40.83
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	195.91	16.75	+179.16
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1,660.91	87.10	+1,573.81
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GBIL vs. ULST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GBIL Sharpe Ratio is 17.06, which is higher than the ULST Sharpe Ratio of 6.08. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GBIL and ULST, 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

	GBIL	ULST	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.06	6.08	+10.98
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	5.79	3.67	+2.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.85	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	4.88	1.50	+3.38

Drawdowns

GBIL vs. ULST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GBIL drawdown since its inception was -0.76%, smaller than the maximum ULST drawdown of -6.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GBIL and ULST.

Drawdown Indicators

	GBIL	ULST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.76%	-6.20%	+5.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.02%	-0.24%	+0.22%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.76%	-0.54%	-0.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-0.76%	-1.22%	+0.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-6.20%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.05%	+0.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.04%	-0.16%	+0.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.00%	0.05%	-0.05%

Volatility

GBIL vs. ULST - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF (GBIL) is 0.04%, while State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) has a volatility of 0.17%. This indicates that GBIL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ULST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GBIL	ULST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.04%	0.17%	-0.13%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.14%	0.43%	-0.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23%	0.65%	-0.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.58%	0.96%	-0.38%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.47%	1.44%	-0.97%

GBIL vs. ULST - Expense Ratio Comparison

GBIL has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than ULST's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

GBIL vs. ULST - Dividend Comparison

GBIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.74%, less than ULST's 4.29% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GBIL Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	3.74%	4.02%	4.93%	4.77%	1.37%	0.00%	0.81%	2.20%	1.70%	0.74%	0.11%	0.00%
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF	4.29%	4.46%	5.03%	4.45%	1.70%	0.54%	1.34%	2.56%	2.13%	1.21%	0.93%	0.37%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GBIL and ULST in my portfolio?

GBIL and ULST have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GBIL or ULST?

ULST has higher volatility (0.17%) compared to GBIL (0.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GBIL dropped -0.76% vs ULST's -6.20%.

Which ETF is better, GBIL or ULST?

On 5-year performance, ULST leads with 3.52% vs 3.33% for GBIL. On fees, GBIL is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, GBIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.04%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, GBIL or ULST?

Over the 5-year period, ULST has performed better with a 3.52% return vs 3.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, GBIL or ULST?

GBIL is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for ULST.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GBIL or ULST?

ULST has the higher dividend yield at 4.29%, compared with 3.74% for GBIL.

What is the main difference between GBIL and ULST?

GBIL is categorized as Government Bonds, while ULST is Ultrashort Bond. GBIL tracks FTSE US Treasury 0-1 Year Composite Select Index, while ULST tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. They also come from different issuers: Goldman Sachs and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for GBIL and 0.20% for ULST.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (17.06 vs 6.08), 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.