NOUGX vs. NOBOX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NOUGX (Northern U.S. Government Fund) and NOBOX (Northern Bond Index Fund) are both mutual funds - NOUGX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Northern Funds, while NOBOX is a Intermediate Core Bond fund managed by Northern Funds. Over the past 10 years, NOUGX returned 0.76%/yr vs 1.14%/yr for NOBOX. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. NOUGX charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for NOBOX.

Performance

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Northern U.S. Government Fund (NOUGX) and Northern Bond Index Fund (NOBOX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NOUGX achieves a -0.42% return, which is significantly lower than NOBOX's 0.04% return. Over the past 10 years, NOUGX has underperformed NOBOX with an annualized return of 0.76%, while NOBOX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.14% annualized return.

NOUGX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.33%
• YTD: -0.42%
• 6M: -0.64%
• 1Y: 3.47%
• 3Y*: 2.54%
• 5Y*: -0.18%
• 10Y*: 0.76%

NOBOX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.48%
• YTD: 0.04%
• 6M: -0.02%
• 1Y: 5.04%
• 3Y*: 3.31%
• 5Y*: -0.58%
• 10Y*: 1.14%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NOUGX Northern U.S. Government Fund	-0.42%	5.12%	0.89%	3.56%	-8.38%	-2.48%	5.30%	5.43%	0.53%	0.81%
NOBOX Northern Bond Index Fund	0.04%	6.14%	0.82%	4.86%	-13.84%	-2.10%	7.20%	8.73%	-0.17%	3.60%

Correlation

The correlation between NOUGX and NOBOX is 0.94, 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	0.94
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.95
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 1, 2007	0.90

The correlation between NOUGX and NOBOX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NOUGX vs. NOBOX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

NOUGX

NOUGX Risk / Return Rank: 10
NOUGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
NOUGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
NOUGX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
NOUGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
NOUGX Martin Ratio Rank: 10

NOBOX

NOBOX Risk / Return Rank: 19
NOBOX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
NOBOX Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
NOBOX Omega Ratio Rank: 20
NOBOX Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
NOBOX Martin Ratio Rank: 17

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Northern U.S. Government Fund (NOUGX) and Northern Bond Index Fund (NOBOX). 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.

	NOUGX	NOBOX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.85	1.24	-0.39
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.31	1.92	-0.61
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.23	-0.08
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.97	1.56	-0.59
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.88	4.71	-1.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NOUGX Sharpe Ratio is 0.85, which is lower than the NOBOX Sharpe Ratio of 1.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NOUGX and NOBOX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NOUGX	NOBOX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85	1.24	-0.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.04	-0.10	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.21	0.23	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.87	0.59	+0.28

Drawdowns

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NOUGX drawdown since its inception was -13.21%, smaller than the maximum NOBOX drawdown of -20.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOUGX and NOBOX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NOUGX	NOBOX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.21%	-20.03%	+6.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.50%	-3.28%	-0.22%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.07%	-6.27%	+1.20%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-12.14%	-19.15%	+7.01%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-13.21%	-20.03%	+6.82%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.00%	-5.92%	+2.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.02%	-3.54%	+1.52%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.17%	1.08%	+0.09%

Volatility

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Northern U.S. Government Fund (NOUGX) is 1.30%, while Northern Bond Index Fund (NOBOX) has a volatility of 1.49%. This indicates that NOUGX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NOBOX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NOUGX	NOBOX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.30%	1.49%	-0.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.98%	3.05%	-0.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.00%	4.13%	-0.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.58%	6.09%	-1.51%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.70%	5.03%	-1.33%

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NOUGX has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than NOBOX's 0.07% expense ratio.

Dividends

NOUGX vs. NOBOX - Dividend Comparison

NOUGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.34%, less than NOBOX's 3.74% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NOBOX Northern Bond Index Fund	3.74%	2.88%	3.46%	2.63%	1.53%	2.10%	3.12%	3.18%	2.80%	2.77%	2.45%	2.61%
NOUGX Northern U.S. Government Fund	3.34%	2.57%	2.86%	2.45%	1.06%	0.25%	3.38%	1.81%	2.31%	1.44%	1.28%	0.83%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NOUGX and NOBOX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.94, NOUGX and NOBOX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, NOUGX or NOBOX?

NOBOX has higher volatility (1.49%) compared to NOUGX (1.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NOUGX dropped -13.21% vs NOBOX's -20.03%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NOBOX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.24 vs 0.85), 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.