POWL vs. GSST

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

POWL (Powell Industries, Inc.) is a stock, while GSST (Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF) is Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Goldman Sachs. Over the past 5 years, POWL returned 95.35%/yr vs 3.75%/yr for GSST. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

POWL vs. GSST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) and Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF (GSST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, POWL achieves a 182.31% return, which is significantly higher than GSST's 1.55% return.

POWL

• 1D: 0.22%
• 1M: 11.07%
• YTD: 182.31%
• 6M: 178.20%
• 1Y: 419.37%
• 3Y*: 145.78%
• 5Y*: 95.35%
• 10Y*: 41.47%

GSST

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.32%
• YTD: 1.55%
• 6M: 1.88%
• 1Y: 4.61%
• 3Y*: 5.52%
• 5Y*: 3.75%
• 10Y*: —

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

POWL vs. GSST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
POWL Powell Industries, Inc.	182.31%	44.49%	152.21%	155.62%	24.34%	3.60%	-37.60%	66.23%
GSST Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF	1.55%	5.20%	6.01%	6.08%	0.13%	0.05%	1.74%	2.65%

Correlation

The correlation between POWL and GSST is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.00
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 18, 2019	-0.01

Return for Risk

POWL vs. GSST — Risk / Return Rank

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

POWL

POWL Risk / Return Rank: 98
POWL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
POWL Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
POWL Omega Ratio Rank: 97
POWL Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
POWL Martin Ratio Rank: 99

GSST

GSST Risk / Return Rank: 99
GSST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
GSST Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
GSST Omega Ratio Rank: 99
GSST Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
GSST Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

POWL vs. GSST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) and Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF (GSST). 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.

	POWL	GSST	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	7.24	7.98	-0.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.38	16.58	-11.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.67	3.94	-2.27
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	13.69	29.99	-16.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	44.07	185.54	-141.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

POWL vs. GSST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current POWL Sharpe Ratio is 7.24, which is comparable to the GSST Sharpe Ratio of 7.98. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of POWL and GSST, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	POWL	GSST	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.24	7.98	-0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.50	5.99	-4.49
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	3.78	-3.50

Drawdowns

POWL vs. GSST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum POWL drawdown since its inception was -73.10%, which is greater than GSST's maximum drawdown of -3.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for POWL and GSST.

Drawdown Indicators

	POWL	GSST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.10%	-3.51%	-69.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.88%	-0.15%	-30.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-55.76%	-0.25%	-55.51%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-55.76%	-1.19%	-54.57%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-68.85%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.90%	0.00%	-6.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-36.12%	-0.16%	-35.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.57%	0.02%	+9.55%

Volatility

POWL vs. GSST - Volatility Comparison

Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) has a higher volatility of 19.61% compared to Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF (GSST) at 0.13%. This indicates that POWL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GSST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	POWL	GSST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	19.61%	0.13%	+19.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	42.55%	0.41%	+42.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	58.36%	0.58%	+57.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	64.06%	0.63%	+63.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	54.66%	0.86%	+53.80%

Dividends

POWL vs. GSST - Dividend Comparison

POWL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.12%, less than GSST's 4.32% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GSST Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF	4.32%	4.56%	5.45%	4.98%	1.97%	0.71%	1.12%	1.66%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
POWL Powell Industries, Inc.	0.12%	0.34%	0.48%	1.19%	2.96%	3.53%	3.53%	2.12%	4.16%	3.63%	2.67%	4.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both POWL and GSST in my portfolio?

POWL and GSST have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, POWL or GSST?

POWL has higher volatility (19.61%) compared to GSST (0.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, POWL dropped -73.10% vs GSST's -3.51%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GSST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.98 vs 7.24), 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.