MLPB vs. BKUI
MLPB (ETRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index ETN Series B) and BKUI (BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MLPB is a MLPs fund tracking the Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index, while BKUI is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by BNY Mellon. MLPB is passively managed, while BKUI is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, MLPB returned 22.21%/yr vs 5.21%/yr for BKUI. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. MLPB charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for BKUI.
Performance
MLPB vs. BKUI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MLPB achieves a 19.72% return, which is significantly higher than BKUI's 1.42% return.
MLPB
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- -0.42%
- YTD
- 19.72%
- 6M
- 18.24%
- 1Y
- 20.60%
- 3Y*
- 22.21%
- 5Y*
- 19.42%
- 10Y*
- 10.20%
BKUI
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 1.42%
- 6M
- 1.74%
- 1Y
- 4.32%
- 3Y*
- 5.21%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
MLPB vs. BKUI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLPB ETRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index ETN Series B | 19.72% | 7.40% | 25.53% | 22.01% | 30.22% | 2.28% |
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF | 1.42% | 4.93% | 5.50% | 5.75% | -0.08% | -0.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between MLPB and BKUI is -0.27, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 12, 2021 | -0.03 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between MLPB and BKUI has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.03 to -0.27, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
MLPB vs. BKUI — Risk / Return Rank
MLPB
BKUI
MLPB vs. BKUI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index ETN Series B (MLPB) and BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI). 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.
| MLPB | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -8.98 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -23.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 6.02 | -4.76 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.14 | 32.56 | -30.42 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.60 | 230.94 | -224.35 |
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
| MLPB | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.54 | 10.52 | -8.98 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.97 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 6.08 | -5.85 |
Drawdowns
MLPB vs. BKUI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MLPB drawdown since its inception was -71.93%, which is greater than BKUI's maximum drawdown of -1.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MLPB and BKUI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MLPB | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.93% | -1.72% | -70.21% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.68% | -0.13% | -9.55% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.49% | -0.25% | -16.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.41% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -71.93% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.69% | -0.01% | -4.68% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.83% | -0.27% | -14.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.13% | 0.02% | +3.11% |
Volatility
MLPB vs. BKUI - Volatility Comparison
ETRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index ETN Series B (MLPB) has a higher volatility of 5.40% compared to BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI) at 0.15%. This indicates that MLPB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BKUI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MLPB | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.40% | 0.15% | +5.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.05% | 0.31% | +9.74% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.51% | 0.41% | +13.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.03% | 0.59% | +19.44% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.11% | 0.59% | +27.52% |
MLPB vs. BKUI - Expense Ratio Comparison
MLPB has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than BKUI's 0.12% expense ratio.
Dividends
MLPB vs. BKUI - Dividend Comparison
MLPB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.85%, more than BKUI's 4.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF | 4.21% | 4.48% | 5.11% | 4.29% | 1.82% | 0.22% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
MLPB ETRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index ETN Series B | 5.85% | 6.51% | 5.95% | 6.37% | 6.00% | 6.98% | 11.93% | 7.98% | 8.11% | 7.23% | 6.85% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MLPB and BKUI have a correlation of -0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MLPB has higher volatility (5.40%) compared to BKUI (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MLPB dropped -71.93% vs BKUI's -1.72%.
On 3-year performance, MLPB leads with 22.21% vs 5.21% for BKUI. On fees, BKUI is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, BKUI has been the lower-risk option at 0.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, MLPB has performed better with a 22.21% return vs 5.21%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BKUI is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for MLPB.
MLPB has the higher dividend yield at 5.85%, compared with 4.21% for BKUI.
MLPB is categorized as MLPs, while BKUI is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: UBS and BNY Mellon. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for MLPB and 0.12% for BKUI.
BKUI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (10.52 vs 1.54), 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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