IGSB vs. PRVBX
IGSB (iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and PRVBX (Permanent Portfolio Versatile Bond Portfolio) are both funds - IGSB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofAML 1-5 Year US Corporate Index, while PRVBX is a Short-Term Bond fund managed by Permanent Portfolio. Over the past 10 years, IGSB returned 2.74%/yr vs 4.35%/yr for PRVBX. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IGSB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.64%/yr for PRVBX.
Performance
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGSB achieves a 0.72% return, which is significantly lower than PRVBX's 0.91% return. Over the past 10 years, IGSB has underperformed PRVBX with an annualized return of 2.74%, while PRVBX has yielded a comparatively higher 4.35% annualized return.
IGSB
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.72%
- 6M
- 1.01%
- 1Y
- 4.72%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 2.74%
PRVBX
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- -0.05%
- YTD
- 0.91%
- 6M
- 1.18%
- 1Y
- 5.30%
- 3Y*
- 5.62%
- 5Y*
- 2.64%
- 10Y*
- 4.35%
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.72% | 6.96% | 4.97% | 6.40% | -5.63% | -0.56% | 5.37% | 7.11% | 1.25% | 1.27% |
PRVBX Permanent Portfolio Versatile Bond Portfolio | 0.91% | 5.66% | 5.78% | 6.91% | -5.91% | 2.93% | 9.88% | 9.29% | 2.01% | 0.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGSB and PRVBX is 0.63, 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 | 0.63 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.71 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2007 | 0.40 |
Over the past year, IGSB and PRVBX have become more correlated (0.63) than their long-term average of 0.40, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IGSB vs. PRVBX — Risk / Return Rank
IGSB
PRVBX
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) and Permanent Portfolio Versatile Bond Portfolio (PRVBX). 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.
| IGSB | PRVBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.86 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.63 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.25 | 3.54 | -0.29 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.22 | 13.93 | -0.72 |
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
| IGSB | PRVBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.46 | 3.01 | -0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | 1.13 | -0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 1.00 | -0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.70 | 1.29 | -0.59 |
Drawdowns
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGSB drawdown since its inception was -13.38%, smaller than the maximum PRVBX drawdown of -16.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGSB and PRVBX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGSB | PRVBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.38% | -16.91% | +3.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.46% | -1.51% | +0.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.46% | -1.51% | +0.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.46% | -8.22% | -1.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.38% | -16.91% | +3.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.32% | -0.37% | +0.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.85% | -0.72% | -0.13% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.38% | -0.02% |
Volatility
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) is 0.57%, while Permanent Portfolio Versatile Bond Portfolio (PRVBX) has a volatility of 0.71%. This indicates that IGSB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PRVBX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IGSB | PRVBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.57% | 0.71% | -0.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.41% | 1.39% | +0.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.92% | 1.77% | +0.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.93% | 2.36% | +0.57% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.46% | 4.36% | -0.90% |
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGSB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than PRVBX's 0.64% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGSB vs. PRVBX - Dividend Comparison
IGSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.58%, more than PRVBX's 4.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.58% | 4.44% | 4.02% | 3.26% | 2.07% | 1.82% | 2.36% | 3.06% | 2.46% | 1.65% | 1.45% | 1.18% |
PRVBX Permanent Portfolio Versatile Bond Portfolio | 4.14% | 4.18% | 3.61% | 3.16% | 1.83% | 0.85% | 4.73% | 2.51% | 1.71% | 3.30% | 3.27% | 5.71% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGSB and PRVBX have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PRVBX has higher volatility (0.71%) compared to IGSB (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IGSB dropped -13.38% vs PRVBX's -16.91%.
PRVBX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.01 vs 2.46), 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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