NUSA vs. BSV
NUSA (Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) are both Short-Term Bond funds - NUSA tracks the ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y) while BSV tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUSA returned 1.48%/yr vs 1.58%/yr for BSV. A 0.76 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NUSA charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BSV.
Performance
NUSA vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUSA achieves a 0.24% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.11% return.
NUSA
- 1D
- -0.24%
- 1M
- -0.23%
- YTD
- 0.24%
- 6M
- 0.52%
- 1Y
- 3.50%
- 3Y*
- 4.31%
- 5Y*
- 1.48%
- 10Y*
- —
BSV
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- -0.36%
- YTD
- 0.11%
- 6M
- 0.49%
- 1Y
- 3.38%
- 3Y*
- 4.36%
- 5Y*
- 1.58%
- 10Y*
- 1.93%
NUSA vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUSA Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.24% | 5.89% | 3.52% | 5.19% | -5.91% | -1.04% | 4.85% | 5.62% | 1.40% | 1.00% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.11% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 0.45% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUSA and BSV is 0.90, 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 | 0.90 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 4, 2017 | 0.76 |
The correlation between NUSA and BSV shifts across timeframes, from 0.76 (all time) to 0.90 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
NUSA vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
NUSA
BSV
NUSA vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| NUSA | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 1.35 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.74 | 2.63 | +0.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.65 | 9.17 | +0.48 |
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
| NUSA | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.93 | 1.87 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 | 0.58 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.81 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.81 | 0.85 | -0.04 |
Drawdowns
NUSA vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUSA drawdown since its inception was -9.44%, which is greater than BSV's maximum drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUSA and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUSA | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.44% | -8.54% | -0.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.28% | -1.29% | +0.01% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.62% | -1.53% | -0.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.44% | -8.54% | -0.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -8.54% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.70% | -0.81% | +0.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.65% | -0.97% | -0.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.37% | -0.01% |
Volatility
NUSA vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA) has a higher volatility of 0.67% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) at 0.55%. This indicates that NUSA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUSA | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.67% | 0.55% | +0.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.35% | 1.28% | +0.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.83% | 1.81% | +0.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.80% | 2.73% | +0.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.73% | 2.37% | +0.36% |
NUSA vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUSA has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV's 0.03% 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
NUSA vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
NUSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.87%, less than BSV's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 4.00% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
NUSA Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.87% | 3.83% | 3.93% | 3.54% | 2.44% | 2.16% | 2.51% | 2.85% | 3.22% | 2.20% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUSA and BSV have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUSA has higher volatility (0.67%) compared to BSV (0.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUSA dropped -9.44% vs BSV's -8.54%.
On 5-year performance, BSV leads with 1.58% vs 1.48% for NUSA. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BSV has been the lower-risk option at 0.55%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, BSV has performed better with a 1.58% return vs 1.48%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for NUSA.
BSV has the higher dividend yield at 4.00%, compared with 3.87% for NUSA.
NUSA tracks ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y), while BSV tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for NUSA and 0.03% for BSV.
NUSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.93 vs 1.87), 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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