SPSB vs. BSV
SPSB (SPDR Portfolio Short Term Corporate Bond ETF) and BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - SPSB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Corporate Bond Index, while BSV is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPSB returned 2.60%/yr vs 1.90%/yr for BSV. A 0.57 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SPSB charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BSV.
Performance
SPSB vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPSB achieves a 0.87% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.21% return. Over the past 10 years, SPSB has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 2.60%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.90% annualized return.
SPSB
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.16%
- YTD
- 0.87%
- 6M
- 1.04%
- 1Y
- 3.98%
- 3Y*
- 5.31%
- 5Y*
- 2.73%
- 10Y*
- 2.60%
BSV
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- 0.21%
- 6M
- 0.37%
- 1Y
- 3.25%
- 3Y*
- 4.47%
- 5Y*
- 1.66%
- 10Y*
- 1.90%
SPSB vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPSB SPDR Portfolio Short Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.87% | 5.86% | 5.25% | 5.60% | -3.31% | -0.20% | 3.83% | 5.21% | 1.45% | 1.58% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.21% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPSB and BSV is 0.88, 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 | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 17, 2009 | 0.57 |
Over the past year, SPSB and BSV have become more correlated (0.88) than their long-term average of 0.57, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
SPSB vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
SPSB
BSV
SPSB vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Short Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPSB) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| SPSB | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.83 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.64 | 1.34 | +0.30 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.58 | 2.53 | +2.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 21.10 | 8.35 | +12.76 |
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Drawdowns
SPSB vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPSB drawdown since its inception was -11.75%, which is greater than BSV's maximum drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPSB and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPSB | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -11.75% | -8.54% | -3.21% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.87% | -1.29% | +0.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.87% | -1.53% | +0.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.96% | -8.54% | +2.58% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -11.75% | -8.54% | -3.21% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.20% | -0.70% | +0.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.54% | -0.97% | +0.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.19% | 0.39% | -0.20% |
Volatility
SPSB vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR Portfolio Short Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPSB) is 0.48%, while Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) has a volatility of 0.59%. This indicates that SPSB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPSB | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.48% | 0.59% | -0.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.01% | 1.33% | -0.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.37% | 1.82% | -0.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.99% | 2.73% | -0.74% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.06% | 2.38% | +0.68% |
SPSB vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPSB has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SPSB vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
SPSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.41%, more than BSV's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 4.00% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
SPSB SPDR Portfolio Short Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.41% | 4.55% | 4.85% | 4.05% | 1.92% | 1.19% | 1.94% | 2.77% | 2.36% | 1.94% | 1.65% | 1.43% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SPSB and BSV have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BSV has higher volatility (0.59%) compared to SPSB (0.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPSB dropped -11.75% vs BSV's -8.54%.
On 10-year performance, SPSB leads with 2.60% vs 1.90% for BSV. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SPSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.48%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPSB has performed better with a 2.60% return vs 1.90%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.07% for SPSB.
SPSB has the higher dividend yield at 4.41%, compared with 4.00% for BSV.
SPSB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while BSV is Short-Term Bond. SPSB tracks Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Corporate Bond Index, while BSV tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for SPSB and 0.03% for BSV.
SPSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.93 vs 1.79), 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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