ICSH vs. ULST
ICSH (iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF) and ULST (State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) are both Ultrashort Bond funds - ICSH tracks the ICE BofA US 6-Month Treasury Bill Index (USD) while ULST tracks the Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ICSH returned 2.76%/yr vs 2.67%/yr for ULST. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ICSH charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for ULST.
Performance
ICSH vs. ULST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ICSH achieves a 1.45% return, which is significantly higher than ULST's 1.24% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ICSH having a 2.76% annualized return and ULST not far behind at 2.67%.
ICSH
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.34%
- YTD
- 1.45%
- 6M
- 1.79%
- 1Y
- 4.36%
- 3Y*
- 5.20%
- 5Y*
- 3.67%
- 10Y*
- 2.76%
ULST
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 1.24%
- 6M
- 1.57%
- 1Y
- 3.99%
- 3Y*
- 4.92%
- 5Y*
- 3.51%
- 10Y*
- 2.67%
ICSH vs. ULST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 1.45% | 4.96% | 5.52% | 5.58% | 0.97% | 0.16% | 1.61% | 3.17% | 2.25% | 1.63% |
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 1.24% | 4.80% | 5.23% | 5.60% | 0.87% | 0.25% | 1.45% | 3.23% | 2.04% | 1.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between ICSH and ULST is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 16, 2013 | 0.16 |
Over the past year, ICSH and ULST have become more correlated (0.43) than their long-term average of 0.16, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
ICSH vs. ULST — Risk / Return Rank
ICSH
ULST
ICSH vs. ULST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) 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.
| ICSH | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +5.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +16.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 6.79 | 2.77 | +4.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 44.30 | 16.92 | +27.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 297.17 | 87.49 | +209.68 |
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
| ICSH | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.22 | 6.14 | +5.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 7.64 | 3.67 | +3.97 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 2.62 | 1.86 | +0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.93 | 1.50 | +0.44 |
Drawdowns
ICSH vs. ULST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ICSH drawdown since its inception was -3.94%, smaller than the maximum ULST drawdown of -6.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ICSH and ULST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ICSH | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -3.94% | -6.20% | +2.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.10% | -0.24% | +0.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.10% | -0.54% | +0.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.73% | -1.22% | +0.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -3.94% | -6.20% | +2.26% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.05% | +0.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.08% | -0.16% | +0.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.01% | 0.05% | -0.04% |
Volatility
ICSH vs. ULST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) is 0.15%, while State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) has a volatility of 0.18%. This indicates that ICSH 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.
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Volatility by Period
| ICSH | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.15% | 0.18% | -0.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.30% | 0.43% | -0.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.39% | 0.65% | -0.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.48% | 0.96% | -0.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.06% | 1.45% | -0.39% |
ICSH vs. ULST - Expense Ratio Comparison
ICSH has a 0.08% 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
ICSH vs. ULST - Dividend Comparison
ICSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than ULST's 4.29% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.34% | 4.55% | 5.24% | 4.78% | 1.66% | 0.42% | 1.21% | 2.61% | 2.20% | 1.36% | 0.88% | 0.54% |
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
ICSH and ULST have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ULST has higher volatility (0.18%) compared to ICSH (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ICSH dropped -3.94% vs ULST's -6.20%.
On 10-year performance, ICSH leads with 2.76% vs 2.67% for ULST. On fees, ICSH is cheaper at 0.08% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ICSH has performed better with a 2.76% return vs 2.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ICSH is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for ULST.
ICSH has the higher dividend yield at 4.34%, compared with 4.29% for ULST.
ICSH tracks ICE BofA US 6-Month Treasury Bill Index (USD), while ULST tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for ICSH and 0.20% for ULST.
ICSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (11.22 vs 6.14), 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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