NUSIX vs. ISTB

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (NUSIX) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB).

NUSIX is managed by Navigator Funds. It was launched on Mar 21, 2019. ISTB is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD). It was launched on Oct 18, 2012.

Performance

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (NUSIX) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
NUSIX Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund	0.76%	4.63%	5.54%	5.64%	1.14%	0.36%	1.49%	1.60%
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF	0.10%	6.36%	4.37%	5.56%	-6.08%	-0.71%	4.75%	3.28%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NUSIX achieves a 0.76% return, which is significantly higher than ISTB's 0.10% return.

NUSIX

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: 0.16%
• YTD: 0.76%
• 6M: 1.88%
• 1Y: 4.27%
• 3Y*: 5.11%
• 5Y*: 3.54%
• 10Y*: —

ISTB

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: -0.81%
• YTD: 0.10%
• 6M: 1.31%
• 1Y: 4.49%
• 3Y*: 4.77%
• 5Y*: 1.87%
• 10Y*: 2.31%

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

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Expense Ratio Comparison

NUSIX has a 0.71% expense ratio, which is higher than ISTB's 0.06% expense ratio.

NUSIX

Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund

ISTB

iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF

Return for Risk

NUSIX vs. ISTB — Risk / Return Rank

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

NUSIX

NUSIX Risk / Return Rank: 100
NUSIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
NUSIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
NUSIX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
NUSIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
NUSIX Martin Ratio Rank: 100

ISTB

ISTB Risk / Return Rank: 95
ISTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
ISTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
ISTB Omega Ratio Rank: 95
ISTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
ISTB Martin Ratio Rank: 94

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.

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (NUSIX) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB). 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.

	NUSIX	ISTB	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	6.58	2.32	+4.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	20.79	3.56	+17.23
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	10.67	1.47	+9.20
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	43.05	3.62	+39.43
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	277.18	14.54	+262.63
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NUSIX Sharpe Ratio is 6.58, which is higher than the ISTB Sharpe Ratio of 2.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NUSIX and ISTB, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NUSIX	ISTB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.58	2.32	+4.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	4.68	0.68	+4.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.93	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	3.67	0.84	+2.83

Correlation

The correlation between NUSIX and ISTB is 0.15, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Dividend Comparison

NUSIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.20%, which matches ISTB's 4.18% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NUSIX Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund	4.20%	4.25%	5.23%	4.92%	1.74%	0.66%	1.08%	1.99%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF	4.18%	4.12%	3.83%	2.97%	2.01%	1.69%	2.20%	2.75%	2.57%	2.06%	1.90%	1.58%

Drawdowns

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NUSIX drawdown since its inception was -2.69%, smaller than the maximum ISTB drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUSIX and ISTB.

Drawdown Indicators

	NUSIX	ISTB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.69%	-9.34%	+6.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.10%	-1.26%	+1.16%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-0.80%	-9.34%	+8.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-9.34%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.81%	+0.81%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.08%	-1.23%	+1.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.02%	0.31%	-0.29%

Volatility

NUSIX vs. ISTB - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Navigator Ultra Short Term Bond Fund (NUSIX) is 0.18%, while iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) has a volatility of 0.78%. This indicates that NUSIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ISTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NUSIX	ISTB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.18%	0.78%	-0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.44%	1.18%	-0.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.65%	1.94%	-1.29%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.76%	2.78%	-2.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.83%	2.50%	-1.67%