PST vs. ISTB

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PST (ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury) and ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PST is a Inverse Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while ISTB is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PST returned 2.47%/yr vs 2.27%/yr for ISTB. At a correlation of -0.69, they often move in opposite directions. PST charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for ISTB.

Performance

PST vs. ISTB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury (PST) and iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PST achieves a 4.57% return, which is significantly higher than ISTB's 0.49% return. Over the past 10 years, PST has outperformed ISTB with an annualized return of 2.47%, while ISTB has yielded a comparatively lower 2.27% annualized return.

PST

• 1D: 0.51%
• 1M: 0.80%
• YTD: 4.57%
• 6M: 6.73%
• 1Y: 1.08%
• 3Y*: 5.59%
• 5Y*: 9.21%
• 10Y*: 2.47%

ISTB

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 0.15%
• YTD: 0.49%
• 6M: 0.71%
• 1Y: 4.19%
• 3Y*: 4.95%
• 5Y*: 1.85%
• 10Y*: 2.27%

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

PST vs. ISTB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PST ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury	4.57%	-4.42%	12.27%	3.17%	38.55%	4.01%	-18.67%	-11.03%	1.72%	-4.52%
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF	0.49%	6.36%	4.37%	5.56%	-6.08%	-0.71%	4.75%	5.61%	1.02%	1.72%

Correlation

The correlation between PST and ISTB is -0.92, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.92
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.90
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2012	-0.69

Over the past year, the inverse relationship between PST and ISTB has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.69 to -0.92, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.

PST vs. ISTB - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PST	ISTB
Financial Services	69.6%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	0.6%
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	99.4%

Return for Risk

PST vs. ISTB — Risk / Return Rank

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

PST

PST Risk / Return Rank: 10
PST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
PST Sortino Ratio Rank: 9
PST Omega Ratio Rank: 9
PST Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
PST Martin Ratio Rank: 10

ISTB

ISTB Risk / Return Rank: 73
ISTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ISTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
ISTB Omega Ratio Rank: 77
ISTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
ISTB Martin Ratio Rank: 68

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.

PST vs. ISTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury (PST) 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.

	PST	ISTB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.11	2.37	-2.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.23	3.69	-3.47
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.46	-0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.15	3.34	-3.19
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.26	12.72	-12.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PST vs. ISTB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PST Sharpe Ratio is 0.11, which is lower than the ISTB Sharpe Ratio of 2.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PST and ISTB, 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

	PST	ISTB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.11	2.37	-2.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.67	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.19	0.91	-0.72
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.37	0.84	-1.21

Drawdowns

PST vs. ISTB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PST drawdown since its inception was -79.25%, which is greater than ISTB's maximum drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PST and ISTB.

Drawdown Indicators

	PST	ISTB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.25%	-9.34%	-69.91%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.25%	-1.26%	-5.99%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.19%	-1.36%	-14.83%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.19%	-9.34%	-6.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.07%	-9.34%	-26.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-64.13%	-0.42%	-63.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-61.48%	-1.22%	-60.26%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.16%	0.33%	+3.83%

Volatility

PST vs. ISTB - Volatility Comparison

ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury (PST) has a higher volatility of 3.19% compared to iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) at 0.54%. This indicates that PST's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ISTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PST	ISTB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.19%	0.54%	+2.65%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.75%	1.28%	+5.47%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.62%	1.77%	+7.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.60%	2.79%	+12.81%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.32%	2.51%	+10.81%

PST vs. ISTB - Expense Ratio Comparison

PST has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than ISTB's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

PST vs. ISTB - Dividend Comparison

PST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.08%, less than ISTB's 4.25% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF	4.25%	4.12%	3.83%	2.97%	2.01%	1.69%	2.20%	2.75%	2.57%	2.06%	1.90%	1.58%
PST ProShares UltraShort 7-10 Year Treasury	3.08%	3.47%	3.61%	3.69%	0.02%	0.00%	0.11%	1.85%	0.66%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PST and ISTB in my portfolio?

PST and ISTB have a correlation of -0.92, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PST or ISTB?

PST has higher volatility (3.19%) compared to ISTB (0.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PST dropped -79.25% vs ISTB's -9.34%.

Which ETF is better, PST or ISTB?

On 10-year performance, PST leads with 2.47% vs 2.27% for ISTB. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, ISTB has been the lower-risk option at 0.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PST or ISTB?

Over the 10-year period, PST has performed better with a 2.47% return vs 2.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PST or ISTB?

ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for PST.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PST or ISTB?

ISTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.25%, compared with 3.08% for PST.

What is the main difference between PST and ISTB?

PST is categorized as Inverse Bonds, while ISTB is Short-Term Bond. PST tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while ISTB tracks BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD). They also come from different issuers: ProShares and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for PST and 0.06% for ISTB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ISTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 0.11), 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.