MLPR vs. ULST
MLPR (ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN) and ULST (State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MLPR is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Alerian MLP Index (150%), while ULST is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, MLPR returned 32.44%/yr vs 3.62%/yr for ULST. Their -0.02 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. MLPR charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for ULST.
Performance
MLPR vs. ULST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MLPR achieves a 38.78% return, which is significantly higher than ULST's 1.77% return.
MLPR
- 1D
- -0.51%
- 1M
- 10.57%
- 6M
- 25.92%
- YTD
- 38.78%
- 1Y
- 38.96%
- 3Y*
- 31.97%
- 5Y*
- 32.44%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 32.30%
ULST
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.24%
- 6M
- 1.42%
- YTD
- 1.77%
- 1Y
- 3.47%
- 3Y*
- 4.75%
- 5Y*
- 3.62%
- 10Y*
- 2.69%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.21%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $35.36K | $41.58K | $38.04K | |
| $2.55M | $2.52M | $3.89M |
MLPR vs. ULST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLPR ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN | 38.78% | 9.83% | 31.57% | 35.87% | 41.04% | 57.33% | -7.10% |
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 1.77% | 4.80% | 5.23% | 5.60% | 0.87% | 0.25% | 1.74% |
Correlation
The correlation between MLPR and ULST is -0.24, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 3, 2020 | -0.02 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between MLPR and ULST has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.02 to -0.24, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
MLPR vs. ULST — Risk / Return Rank
MLPR
ULST
MLPR vs. ULST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN (MLPR) and State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST). 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.
| MLPR | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -4.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -7.99 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 2.52 | -1.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.74 | 14.74 | -12.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.79 | 77.67 | -69.88 |
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Drawdowns
MLPR vs. ULST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MLPR drawdown since its inception was -48.98%, which is greater than ULST's maximum drawdown of -6.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MLPR and ULST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MLPR | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -48.98% | -6.20% | -42.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.31% | -0.24% | -14.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.45% | -0.54% | -23.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.66% | -1.22% | -27.44% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -6.20% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.64% | 0.00% | -0.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.88% | -0.16% | -8.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.02% | 0.05% | +4.97% |
Volatility
MLPR vs. ULST - Volatility Comparison
ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN (MLPR) has a higher volatility of 8.50% compared to State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) at 0.11%. This indicates that MLPR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ULST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MLPR | ULST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.50% | 0.11% | +8.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.13% | 0.43% | +16.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.27% | 0.59% | +21.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.11% | 0.97% | +28.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 33.65% | 1.43% | +32.22% |
MLPR vs. ULST - Expense Ratio Comparison
MLPR has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than ULST's 0.20% expense ratio.
Dividends
MLPR vs. ULST - Dividend Comparison
MLPR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.88%, more than ULST's 4.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLPR ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Alerian MLP Index ETN | 8.88% | 10.85% | 9.57% | 10.08% | 7.49% | 10.69% | 4.21% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 4.19% | 4.46% | 5.03% | 4.45% | 1.70% | 0.54% | 1.34% | 2.56% | 2.13% | 1.21% | 0.93% | 0.37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MLPR and ULST have a correlation of -0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MLPR has higher volatility (8.50%) compared to ULST (0.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MLPR dropped -48.98% vs ULST's -6.20%.
On 5-year performance, MLPR leads with 32.44% vs 3.62% for ULST. On fees, ULST is cheaper at 0.20% per year. On volatility, ULST has been the lower-risk option at 0.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, MLPR has performed better with a 32.44% return vs 3.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ULST is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for MLPR.
MLPR has the higher dividend yield at 8.88%, compared with 4.19% for ULST.
MLPR is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while ULST is Ultrashort Bond. MLPR tracks Alerian MLP Index (150%), while ULST tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. They also come from different issuers: UBS and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for MLPR and 0.20% for ULST.
ULST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.96 vs 1.76), 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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