NUAG vs. VGVT

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NUAG (Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and VGVT (Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF) are both Intermediate Core Bond funds. NUAG is passively managed, while VGVT is actively managed. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure. NUAG charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VGVT.

Performance

NUAG vs. VGVT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) and Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NUAG achieves a 0.50% return, which is significantly higher than VGVT's 0.11% return.

NUAG

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 0.41%
• YTD: 0.50%
• 6M: 0.32%
• 1Y: 5.90%
• 3Y*: 4.89%
• 5Y*: 0.47%
• 10Y*: —

VGVT

• 1D: -0.15%
• 1M: 0.17%
• YTD: 0.11%
• 6M: 0.10%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

NUAG vs. VGVT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	0.50%	3.79%
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF	0.11%	3.28%

Correlation

The correlation between NUAG and VGVT is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 10, 2025	0.87

Return for Risk

NUAG vs. VGVT — Risk / Return Rank

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

NUAG

NUAG Risk / Return Rank: 47
NUAG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
NUAG Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
NUAG Omega Ratio Rank: 47
NUAG Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
NUAG Martin Ratio Rank: 44

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.

NUAG vs. VGVT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) and Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT). 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.

	NUAG	VGVT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.65	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.48	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.33	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.06	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NUAG	VGVT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.65	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.08	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	1.17	-0.86

Drawdowns

NUAG vs. VGVT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NUAG drawdown since its inception was -19.79%, which is greater than VGVT's maximum drawdown of -2.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUAG and VGVT.

Drawdown Indicators

	NUAG	VGVT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.79%	-2.77%	-17.02%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.54%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.61%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.19%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.23%	-1.76%	+0.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.95%	-0.67%	-4.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.84%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	NUAG	VGVT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.15%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.59%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.58%	3.22%	+0.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.01%	3.22%	+2.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.49%	3.22%	+2.27%

NUAG vs. VGVT - Expense Ratio Comparison

NUAG has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than VGVT's 0.10% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

NUAG vs. VGVT - Dividend Comparison

NUAG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, more than VGVT's 3.99% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	4.50%	4.43%	4.44%	3.95%	3.60%	2.27%	2.93%	3.54%	3.79%	3.38%	0.48%
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF	3.99%	2.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NUAG and VGVT in my portfolio?

NUAG and VGVT have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, NUAG or VGVT?

On fees, VGVT is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, NUAG or VGVT?

VGVT is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for NUAG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NUAG or VGVT?

NUAG has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 3.99% for VGVT.

What is the main difference between NUAG and VGVT?

They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for NUAG and 0.10% for VGVT.