LDSF vs. BBSB
LDSF (First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF) and BBSB (JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LDSF is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by First Trust, while BBSB is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index. LDSF is actively managed, while BBSB is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, LDSF returned 5.40%/yr vs 4.24%/yr for BBSB. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. LDSF charges 0.87%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for BBSB.
Performance
LDSF vs. BBSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LDSF achieves a 0.98% return, which is significantly higher than BBSB's 0.59% return.
LDSF
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 0.55%
- YTD
- 0.98%
- 6M
- 0.97%
- 1Y
- 4.48%
- 3Y*
- 5.40%
- 5Y*
- 2.48%
- 10Y*
- —
BBSB
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 0.59%
- 6M
- 0.69%
- 1Y
- 3.01%
- 3Y*
- 4.24%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
LDSF vs. BBSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 0.98% | 6.82% | 4.20% | 4.48% |
BBSB JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF | 0.59% | 5.12% | 4.00% | 2.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between LDSF and BBSB is 0.61, 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 | 0.61 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 20, 2023 | 0.64 |
The correlation between LDSF and BBSB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
LDSF vs. BBSB — Risk / Return Rank
LDSF
BBSB
LDSF vs. BBSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) and JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF (BBSB). 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.
| LDSF | BBSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.45 | 1.48 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.59 | 3.53 | -0.95 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.89 | 14.09 | -3.20 |
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Drawdowns
LDSF vs. BBSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LDSF drawdown since its inception was -8.56%, which is greater than BBSB's maximum drawdown of -1.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LDSF and BBSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LDSF | BBSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.56% | -1.57% | -6.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.74% | -0.86% | -0.88% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.74% | -0.96% | -0.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.83% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.11% | -0.14% | +0.03% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.45% | -0.31% | -1.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.41% | 0.21% | +0.20% |
Volatility
LDSF vs. BBSB - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) has a higher volatility of 0.69% compared to JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF (BBSB) at 0.42%. This indicates that LDSF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BBSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LDSF | BBSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.69% | 0.42% | +0.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.72% | 0.90% | +0.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.05% | 1.28% | +0.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.09% | 1.66% | +1.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.17% | 1.66% | +1.51% |
LDSF vs. BBSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
LDSF has a 0.87% expense ratio, which is higher than BBSB's 0.04% expense ratio.
Dividends
LDSF vs. BBSB - Dividend Comparison
LDSF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.62%, more than BBSB's 3.80% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BBSB JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ETF | 3.80% | 3.69% | 4.84% | 3.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 4.62% | 4.52% | 4.53% | 4.08% | 2.61% | 1.97% | 2.65% | 3.06% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LDSF and BBSB have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LDSF has higher volatility (0.69%) compared to BBSB (0.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LDSF dropped -8.56% vs BBSB's -1.57%.
On 3-year performance, LDSF leads with 5.40% vs 4.24% for BBSB. On fees, BBSB is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, BBSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.42%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, LDSF has performed better with a 5.40% return vs 4.24%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BBSB is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.87% for LDSF.
LDSF has the higher dividend yield at 4.62%, compared with 3.80% for BBSB.
LDSF is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while BBSB is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and JPMorgan. Their fees differ too: 0.87% for LDSF and 0.04% for BBSB.
BBSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 2.20), 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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