NUBD vs. NUSA
NUBD (Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and NUSA (Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NUBD is a Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg MSCI U.S. Aggregate ESG Select Index, while NUSA is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUBD returned -0.03%/yr vs 1.53%/yr for NUSA. A 0.70 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.
Performance
NUBD vs. NUSA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUBD achieves a 0.36% return, which is significantly lower than NUSA's 0.48% return.
NUBD
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 0.30%
- YTD
- 0.36%
- 6M
- 0.43%
- 1Y
- 4.51%
- 3Y*
- 3.82%
- 5Y*
- -0.03%
- 10Y*
- —
NUSA
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.22%
- YTD
- 0.48%
- 6M
- 0.72%
- 1Y
- 3.56%
- 3Y*
- 4.37%
- 5Y*
- 1.53%
- 10Y*
- —
NUBD vs. NUSA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUBD Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.36% | 6.75% | 1.31% | 5.42% | -12.90% | -2.19% | 7.17% | 8.22% | 0.32% | 0.26% |
NUSA Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.48% | 5.89% | 3.52% | 5.19% | -5.91% | -1.04% | 4.85% | 5.62% | 1.40% | -0.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUBD and NUSA is 0.82, 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 | 0.82 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2017 | 0.70 |
The correlation between NUBD and NUSA shifts across timeframes, from 0.70 (all time) to 0.82 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
NUBD vs. NUSA — Risk / Return Rank
NUBD
NUSA
NUBD vs. NUSA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUBD) and Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA). 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.
| NUBD | NUSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.37 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.39 | -0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.64 | 2.79 | -1.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.87 | 9.89 | -5.02 |
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
| NUBD | NUSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.21 | 1.98 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.01 | 0.55 | -0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.29 | 0.82 | -0.53 |
Drawdowns
NUBD vs. NUSA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUBD drawdown since its inception was -19.45%, which is greater than NUSA's maximum drawdown of -9.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUBD and NUSA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUBD | NUSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.45% | -9.44% | -10.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.76% | -1.28% | -1.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.94% | -1.62% | -4.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.90% | -9.44% | -8.46% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.77% | -0.46% | -3.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.05% | -1.65% | -4.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.93% | 0.36% | +0.57% |
Volatility
NUBD vs. NUSA - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUBD) has a higher volatility of 1.22% compared to Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA) at 0.66%. This indicates that NUBD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NUSA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUBD | NUSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.22% | 0.66% | +0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.62% | 1.33% | +1.29% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.79% | 1.82% | +1.97% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.99% | 2.80% | +3.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.12% | 2.72% | +2.40% |
NUBD vs. NUSA - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both NUBD and NUSA have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
NUBD vs. NUSA - Dividend Comparison
NUBD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.98%, more than NUSA's 3.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUBD Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.98% | 3.90% | 3.51% | 2.99% | 2.83% | 2.05% | 2.21% | 2.66% | 3.08% | 0.58% |
NUSA Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.86% | 3.83% | 3.93% | 3.54% | 2.44% | 2.16% | 2.51% | 2.85% | 3.22% | 2.20% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUBD and NUSA have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUBD has higher volatility (1.22%) compared to NUSA (0.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUBD dropped -19.45% vs NUSA's -9.44%.
On 5-year performance, NUSA leads with 1.53% vs -0.03% for NUBD. Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. On volatility, NUSA has been the lower-risk option at 0.66%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, NUSA has performed better with a 1.53% return vs -0.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUBD and NUSA have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.
NUBD has the higher dividend yield at 3.98%, compared with 3.86% for NUSA.
NUBD is categorized as Intermediate Core Bond, while NUSA is Short-Term Bond. NUBD tracks Bloomberg MSCI U.S. Aggregate ESG Select Index, while NUSA tracks ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y).
NUSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs 1.21), 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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