PTRB vs. AGG
PTRB (PGIM Total Return Bond ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PTRB is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund actively managed by PGIM, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. PTRB is actively managed, while AGG is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, PTRB returned 5.11%/yr vs 3.95%/yr for AGG. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PTRB charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
PTRB vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PTRB achieves a 0.34% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.25% return.
PTRB
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 0.34%
- 6M
- 0.41%
- 1Y
- 5.81%
- 3Y*
- 5.11%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
AGG
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.24%
- YTD
- 0.25%
- 6M
- 0.09%
- 1Y
- 5.14%
- 3Y*
- 3.95%
- 5Y*
- 0.10%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
PTRB vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTRB PGIM Total Return Bond ETF | 0.34% | 7.63% | 2.67% | 7.71% | -14.82% | -0.15% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.25% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | 0.01% |
Correlation
The correlation between PTRB and AGG is 0.95, 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 | 0.95 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 9, 2021 | 0.95 |
The correlation between PTRB and AGG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PTRB vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
PTRB
AGG
PTRB vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PGIM Total Return Bond ETF (PTRB) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| PTRB | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.24 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.01 | 1.87 | +0.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.00 | 5.73 | +0.27 |
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
| PTRB | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46 | 1.34 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.02 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.29 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.06 | 0.59 | -0.54 |
Drawdowns
PTRB vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PTRB drawdown since its inception was -19.17%, roughly equal to the maximum AGG drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTRB and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PTRB | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.17% | -18.43% | -0.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.90% | -2.76% | -0.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.52% | -6.11% | +0.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -17.82% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -18.43% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.61% | -2.14% | +0.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.64% | -2.71% | -4.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.97% | 0.90% | +0.07% |
Volatility
PTRB vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
PGIM Total Return Bond ETF (PTRB) has a higher volatility of 1.37% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.30%. This indicates that PTRB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PTRB | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.37% | 1.30% | +0.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.83% | 2.74% | +0.09% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.01% | 3.85% | +0.16% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.25% | 6.09% | +0.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.25% | 5.40% | +0.85% |
PTRB vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
PTRB has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
PTRB vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
PTRB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.74%, more than AGG's 3.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.99% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
PTRB PGIM Total Return Bond ETF | 4.74% | 4.73% | 5.10% | 4.62% | 4.07% | 0.12% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.95, PTRB and AGG move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
PTRB has higher volatility (1.37%) compared to AGG (1.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PTRB dropped -19.17% vs AGG's -18.43%.
On 3-year performance, PTRB leads with 5.11% vs 3.95% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, PTRB has performed better with a 5.11% return vs 3.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for PTRB.
PTRB has the higher dividend yield at 4.74%, compared with 3.99% for AGG.
PTRB is categorized as Intermediate Core-Plus Bond, while AGG is Total Bond Market. They also come from different issuers: PGIM and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for PTRB and 0.03% for AGG.
PTRB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.46 vs 1.34), 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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