NSIUX vs. NOCBX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

NSIUX (Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund) and NOCBX (Northern Core Bond Fund) are both mutual funds - NSIUX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Northern Trust, while NOCBX is a Intermediate Core Bond fund managed by Northern Trust. Over the past 10 years, NSIUX returned 0.93%/yr vs 0.91%/yr for NOCBX. Their correlation of 0.81 means they have usually moved in the same direction. Both charge a 0.42% expense ratio.

Performance

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NSIUX achieves a -0.32% return, which is significantly higher than NOCBX's -1.13% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NSIUX having a 0.93% annualized return and NOCBX not far behind at 0.91%.

NSIUX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: -0.05%
• 6M: -0.46%
• YTD: -0.32%
• 1Y: 1.92%
• 3Y*: 3.27%
• 5Y*: 0.52%
• 10Y*: 0.93%
• ALL TIME*: 2.29%

NOCBX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: -0.78%
• 6M: -1.35%
• YTD: -1.13%
• 1Y: 2.04%
• 3Y*: 3.00%
• 5Y*: -1.20%
• 10Y*: 0.91%
• ALL TIME*: 3.04%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
NOCBX Northern Core Bond Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
NSIUX Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NSIUX Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund	-0.32%	4.74%	2.72%	3.51%	-6.32%	-1.69%	3.87%	4.29%	0.41%	0.37%
NOCBX Northern Core Bond Fund	-1.13%	6.17%	1.10%	5.07%	-14.51%	-1.62%	7.32%	9.76%	-1.03%	4.05%

Correlation

The correlation between NSIUX and NOCBX is 0.81, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.81
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.84
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.83
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.79
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 29, 2001	0.81

The correlation between NSIUX and NOCBX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.79 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NSIUX vs. NOCBX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

NSIUX

NSIUX Risk / Return Rank: 20
NSIUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
NSIUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
NSIUX Omega Ratio Rank: 22
NSIUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
NSIUX Martin Ratio Rank: 15

NOCBX

NOCBX Risk / Return Rank: 11
NOCBX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
NOCBX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
NOCBX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
NOCBX Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
NOCBX Martin Ratio Rank: 10

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund (NSIUX) and Northern Core Bond Fund (NOCBX). 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.

	NSIUX	NOCBX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.81	0.47	+0.33
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.29	0.74	+0.55
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.09	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.06	0.58	+0.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.32	1.34	+0.98

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NSIUX Sharpe Ratio is 0.81, which is higher than the NOCBX Sharpe Ratio of 0.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NSIUX and NOCBX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NSIUX drawdown since its inception was -9.56%, smaller than the maximum NOCBX drawdown of -20.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NSIUX and NOCBX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NSIUX	NOCBX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.56%	-20.02%	+10.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.62%	-3.17%	+1.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.87%	-5.54%	+3.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.06%	-19.95%	+10.89%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-9.56%	-20.02%	+10.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.25%	-6.22%	+4.97%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.30%	-2.93%	+1.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.74%	1.36%	-0.62%

Volatility

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund (NSIUX) is 0.52%, while Northern Core Bond Fund (NOCBX) has a volatility of 0.91%. This indicates that NSIUX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NOCBX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NSIUX	NOCBX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.52%	0.91%	-0.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.60%	2.94%	-1.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14%	3.86%	-1.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.98%	6.11%	-3.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.43%	5.08%	-2.65%

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both NSIUX and NOCBX have an expense ratio of 0.42%.

Dividends

NSIUX vs. NOCBX - Dividend Comparison

NSIUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.90%, less than NOCBX's 3.69% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NOCBX Northern Core Bond Fund	3.69%	3.14%	3.82%	2.99%	1.66%	1.56%	3.58%	2.75%	3.16%	2.88%	2.05%	3.09%
NSIUX Northern Limited Term U.S. Government Fund	2.90%	2.49%	2.68%	2.34%	1.02%	0.09%	0.46%	1.79%	2.39%	1.30%	0.96%	0.54%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NSIUX and NOCBX in my portfolio?

NSIUX and NOCBX have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NSIUX or NOCBX?

NOCBX has higher volatility (0.91%) compared to NSIUX (0.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NSIUX dropped -9.56% vs NOCBX's -20.02%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NSIUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.81 vs 0.47), 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.