NUSA vs. LDRT
NUSA (Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and LDRT (iShares iBonds 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NUSA is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y), while LDRT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the BlackRock iBonds® 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, NUSA returned 3.56% vs 3.68% for LDRT. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NUSA charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for LDRT.
Performance
NUSA vs. LDRT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUSA achieves a 0.48% return, which is significantly lower than LDRT's 0.74% return.
NUSA
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.22%
- YTD
- 0.48%
- 6M
- 0.72%
- 1Y
- 3.56%
- 3Y*
- 4.37%
- 5Y*
- 1.53%
- 10Y*
- —
LDRT
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.08%
- YTD
- 0.74%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 3.68%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
NUSA vs. LDRT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
NUSA Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.48% | 5.89% | 0.34% |
LDRT iShares iBonds 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder ETF | 0.74% | 5.55% | 0.44% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUSA and LDRT is 0.66, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 11, 2024 | 0.63 |
The correlation between NUSA and LDRT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.63 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
NUSA vs. LDRT — Risk / Return Rank
NUSA
LDRT
NUSA vs. LDRT - 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 iShares iBonds 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder ETF (LDRT). 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 | LDRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.65 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.27 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.79 | 3.31 | -0.52 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.89 | 8.83 | +1.06 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NUSA | LDRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.98 | 1.32 | +0.65 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.82 | 1.56 | -0.74 |
Drawdowns
NUSA vs. LDRT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUSA drawdown since its inception was -9.44%, which is greater than LDRT's maximum drawdown of -1.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUSA and LDRT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUSA | LDRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.44% | -1.11% | -8.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.28% | -1.11% | -0.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.62% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.44% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.46% | -0.50% | +0.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.65% | -0.32% | -1.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.42% | -0.06% |
Volatility
NUSA vs. LDRT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA) is 0.66%, while iShares iBonds 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder ETF (LDRT) has a volatility of 0.88%. This indicates that NUSA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LDRT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUSA | LDRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.66% | 0.88% | -0.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.33% | 1.65% | -0.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.82% | 2.80% | -0.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.80% | 2.79% | +0.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.72% | 2.79% | -0.07% |
NUSA vs. LDRT - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUSA has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than LDRT's 0.07% 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. LDRT - Dividend Comparison
NUSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.86%, less than LDRT's 4.08% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDRT iShares iBonds 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder ETF | 4.08% | 3.86% | 0.69% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
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
NUSA and LDRT have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LDRT has higher volatility (0.88%) compared to NUSA (0.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUSA dropped -9.44% vs LDRT's -1.11%.
On 1-year performance, LDRT leads with 3.68% vs 3.56% for NUSA. On fees, LDRT is cheaper at 0.07% per year. 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 1-year period, LDRT has performed better with a 3.68% return vs 3.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
LDRT is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for NUSA.
LDRT has the higher dividend yield at 4.08%, compared with 3.86% for NUSA.
NUSA is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while LDRT is Government Bonds. NUSA tracks ICE BofA Enhanced Yield US Broad Bond (1-5 Y), while LDRT tracks BlackRock iBonds® 1-5 Year Treasury Ladder Index. They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for NUSA and 0.07% for LDRT.
NUSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs 1.32), 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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