KDEF vs. NEAR
KDEF (PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF) and NEAR (iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - KDEF is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the The Korea Defence Industry Index, while NEAR is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by iShares. KDEF is passively managed, while NEAR is actively managed. Over the past year, KDEF returned 23.84% vs 4.12% for NEAR. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KDEF charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for NEAR.
Performance
KDEF vs. NEAR - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KDEF achieves a 10.00% return, which is significantly higher than NEAR's 0.79% return.
KDEF
- 1D
- 1.61%
- 1M
- -9.85%
- YTD
- 10.00%
- 6M
- 13.24%
- 1Y
- 23.84%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
NEAR
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- 0.35%
- YTD
- 0.79%
- 6M
- 1.16%
- 1Y
- 4.12%
- 3Y*
- 5.61%
- 5Y*
- 3.87%
- 10Y*
- 2.85%
KDEF vs. NEAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 10.00% | 116.28% |
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 0.79% | 5.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between KDEF and NEAR is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 5, 2025 | 0.06 |
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
KDEF vs. NEAR — Risk / Return Rank
KDEF
NEAR
KDEF vs. NEAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) and iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| KDEF | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.40 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.62 | -0.49 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.78 | 3.59 | -2.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.48 | 16.36 | -13.88 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
KDEF vs. NEAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KDEF drawdown since its inception was -35.55%, which is greater than NEAR's maximum drawdown of -9.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KDEF and NEAR.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| KDEF | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.55% | -9.61% | -25.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.55% | -1.13% | -34.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -1.16% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -1.32% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -9.61% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.83% | -0.03% | -26.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.96% | -0.16% | -6.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.09% | 0.25% | +10.84% |
Volatility
KDEF vs. NEAR - Volatility Comparison
PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) has a higher volatility of 18.52% compared to iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) at 0.44%. This indicates that KDEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NEAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| KDEF | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 18.52% | 0.44% | +18.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.55% | 1.02% | +37.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 46.43% | 1.36% | +45.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 47.55% | 1.34% | +46.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 47.55% | 2.50% | +45.05% |
KDEF vs. NEAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
KDEF has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than NEAR's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
KDEF vs. NEAR - Dividend Comparison
KDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.25%, more than NEAR's 4.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 6.25% | 5.06% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.43% | 4.54% | 5.00% | 4.59% | 1.78% | 0.76% | 1.53% | 2.69% | 2.25% | 1.52% | 1.07% | 0.85% |
Frequently Asked Questions
KDEF and NEAR have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
KDEF has higher volatility (18.52%) compared to NEAR (0.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KDEF dropped -35.55% vs NEAR's -9.61%.
On 1-year performance, KDEF leads with 23.84% vs 4.12% for NEAR. On fees, NEAR is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, NEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, KDEF has performed better with a 23.84% return vs 4.12%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NEAR is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for KDEF.
KDEF has the higher dividend yield at 6.25%, compared with 4.43% for NEAR.
KDEF is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while NEAR is Short-Term Bond. They also come from different issuers: PLUS and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for KDEF and 0.25% for NEAR.
NEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.99 vs 0.60), 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.
Find the right allocation for KDEF and NEAR
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer