ISTB vs. USTB
ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) and USTB (VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF) are both Short-Term Bond funds - ISTB tracks the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD) while USTB tracks the Bloomberg 1–3 Year Credit Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ISTB returned 1.85%/yr vs 3.50%/yr for USTB. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ISTB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.34%/yr for USTB.
Performance
ISTB vs. USTB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ISTB achieves a 0.49% return, which is significantly lower than USTB's 1.19% return.
ISTB
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- 0.49%
- 6M
- 0.71%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- 1.85%
- 10Y*
- 2.27%
USTB
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 1.19%
- 6M
- 1.58%
- 1Y
- 4.75%
- 3Y*
- 6.13%
- 5Y*
- 3.50%
- 10Y*
- —
ISTB vs. USTB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.49% | 6.36% | 4.37% | 5.56% | -6.08% | -0.71% | 4.75% | 5.61% | 1.02% | -0.08% |
USTB VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF | 1.19% | 6.08% | 6.49% | 6.69% | -2.82% | 0.90% | 5.12% | 5.10% | 1.08% | 0.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between ISTB and USTB is 0.86, 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 | 0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2017 | 0.68 |
The correlation between ISTB and USTB shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (all time) to 0.86 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ISTB vs. USTB — Risk / Return Rank
ISTB
USTB
ISTB vs. USTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) and VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB). 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.
| ISTB | USTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.46 | 1.88 | -0.42 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.34 | 5.65 | -2.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.72 | 25.66 | -12.94 |
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
| ISTB | USTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.37 | 3.93 | -1.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 | 1.75 | -1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.91 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.84 | 1.73 | -0.89 |
Drawdowns
ISTB vs. USTB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ISTB drawdown since its inception was -9.34%, which is greater than USTB's maximum drawdown of -5.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISTB and USTB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ISTB | USTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.34% | -5.32% | -4.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.26% | -0.84% | -0.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.36% | -1.02% | -0.34% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.34% | -4.96% | -4.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.34% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.42% | -0.04% | -0.38% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.22% | -0.66% | -0.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.33% | 0.19% | +0.14% |
Volatility
ISTB vs. USTB - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) has a higher volatility of 0.54% compared to VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB) at 0.33%. This indicates that ISTB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ISTB | USTB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.54% | 0.33% | +0.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.28% | 0.84% | +0.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.77% | 1.22% | +0.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.79% | 2.01% | +0.78% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.51% | 2.01% | +0.50% |
ISTB vs. USTB - Expense Ratio Comparison
ISTB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than USTB's 0.34% expense ratio.
Dividends
ISTB vs. USTB - Dividend Comparison
ISTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.25%, less than USTB's 4.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.25% | 4.12% | 3.83% | 2.97% | 2.01% | 1.69% | 2.20% | 2.75% | 2.57% | 2.06% | 1.90% | 1.58% |
USTB VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF | 4.58% | 4.62% | 5.05% | 4.49% | 2.54% | 1.84% | 2.59% | 2.69% | 2.32% | 0.43% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ISTB and USTB have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ISTB has higher volatility (0.54%) compared to USTB (0.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISTB dropped -9.34% vs USTB's -5.32%.
On 5-year performance, USTB leads with 3.50% vs 1.85% for ISTB. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, USTB has been the lower-risk option at 0.33%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USTB has performed better with a 3.50% return vs 1.85%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.34% for USTB.
USTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.58%, compared with 4.25% for ISTB.
ISTB tracks BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD), while USTB tracks Bloomberg 1–3 Year Credit Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Victory. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for ISTB and 0.34% for USTB.
USTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.93 vs 2.37), 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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