SCUS vs. FNDF
SCUS (Schwab Ultra-Short Income ETF) and FNDF (Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SCUS is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Charles Schwab, while FNDF is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the RAFI Fundamental High Liquidity Developed ex US Large Index (Net). SCUS is actively managed, while FNDF is passively managed. Over the past year, SCUS returned 4.00% vs 39.04% for FNDF. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SCUS charges 0.14%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for FNDF.
Performance
SCUS vs. FNDF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCUS achieves a 1.51% return, which is significantly lower than FNDF's 16.43% return.
SCUS
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.20%
- YTD
- 1.51%
- 6M
- 1.61%
- 1Y
- 4.00%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FNDF
- 1D
- -2.61%
- 1M
- -1.37%
- YTD
- 16.43%
- 6M
- 16.74%
- 1Y
- 39.04%
- 3Y*
- 22.45%
- 5Y*
- 12.99%
- 10Y*
- 12.17%
SCUS vs. FNDF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
SCUS Schwab Ultra-Short Income ETF | 1.51% | 4.51% | 2.00% |
FNDF Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF | 16.43% | 40.99% | -1.09% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCUS and FNDF is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 13, 2024 | 0.06 |
The correlation between SCUS and FNDF shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SCUS vs. FNDF — Risk / Return Rank
SCUS
FNDF
SCUS vs. FNDF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab Ultra-Short Income ETF (SCUS) and Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SCUS | FNDF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +8.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 2.61 | 1.44 | +1.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 24.13 | 3.70 | +20.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 104.03 | 13.74 | +90.30 |
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Drawdowns
SCUS vs. FNDF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCUS drawdown since its inception was -0.17%, smaller than the maximum FNDF drawdown of -40.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCUS and FNDF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCUS | FNDF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.17% | -40.14% | +39.97% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.17% | -10.60% | +10.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -13.89% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -25.56% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -40.14% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.06% | -4.59% | +4.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.02% | -7.62% | +7.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.04% | 2.85% | -2.81% |
Volatility
SCUS vs. FNDF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Schwab Ultra-Short Income ETF (SCUS) is 0.22%, while Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF) has a volatility of 6.77%. This indicates that SCUS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FNDF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCUS | FNDF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.22% | 6.77% | -6.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.50% | 13.93% | -13.43% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68% | 16.16% | -15.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.71% | 16.36% | -15.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.71% | 17.47% | -16.76% |
SCUS vs. FNDF - Expense Ratio Comparison
SCUS has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is lower than FNDF's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SCUS vs. FNDF - Dividend Comparison
SCUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.91%, more than FNDF's 2.95% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FNDF Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF | 2.95% | 3.44% | 4.01% | 3.41% | 3.10% | 3.54% | 2.17% | 3.20% | 3.47% | 2.32% | 2.42% | 2.08% |
SCUS Schwab Ultra-Short Income ETF | 3.91% | 4.17% | 1.62% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SCUS and FNDF have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FNDF has higher volatility (6.77%) compared to SCUS (0.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCUS dropped -0.17% vs FNDF's -40.14%.
On 1-year performance, FNDF leads with 39.04% vs 4.00% for SCUS. On fees, SCUS is cheaper at 0.14% per year. On volatility, SCUS has been the lower-risk option at 0.22%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, FNDF has performed better with a 39.04% return vs 4.00%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCUS is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for FNDF.
SCUS has the higher dividend yield at 3.91%, compared with 2.95% for FNDF.
SCUS is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while FNDF is Foreign Large Cap Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.14% for SCUS and 0.25% for FNDF.
SCUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.95 vs 2.43), 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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