SUSB vs. AGG

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

SUSB (iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SUSB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corporate 1-5 Year ESG Focus Index, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SUSB returned 2.24%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for AGG. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SUSB charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.

Performance

SUSB vs. AGG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF (SUSB) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SUSB achieves a 0.65% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.47% return.

SUSB

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.18%
• YTD: 0.65%
• 6M: 1.16%
• 1Y: 4.60%
• 3Y*: 5.48%
• 5Y*: 2.24%
• 10Y*: —

AGG

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 0.14%
• YTD: 0.47%
• 6M: 0.49%
• 1Y: 5.29%
• 3Y*: 4.02%
• 5Y*: 0.23%
• 10Y*: 1.59%

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

SUSB vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SUSB iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF	0.65%	6.81%	4.83%	5.98%	-5.72%	-0.76%	4.96%	7.02%	0.54%	0.28%
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	0.47%	7.19%	1.31%	5.65%	-13.02%	-1.77%	7.48%	8.46%	0.09%	0.77%

Correlation

The correlation between SUSB and AGG is 0.86, 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	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2017	0.73

The correlation between SUSB and AGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (all time) to 0.87 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SUSB vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank

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

SUSB

SUSB Risk / Return Rank: 71
SUSB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
SUSB Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
SUSB Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SUSB Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
SUSB Martin Ratio Rank: 67

AGG

AGG Risk / Return Rank: 37
AGG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
AGG Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
AGG Omega Ratio Rank: 37
AGG Calmar Ratio Rank: 36
AGG Martin Ratio Rank: 35

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.

SUSB vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF (SUSB) 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.

	SUSB	AGG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.39	1.38	+1.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.73	2.06	+1.67
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.25	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.04	1.81	+1.23
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.48	5.61	+6.87
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SUSB vs. AGG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SUSB Sharpe Ratio is 2.39, which is higher than the AGG Sharpe Ratio of 1.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SUSB and AGG, 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

	SUSB	AGG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.39	1.38	+1.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	0.04	+0.72
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.30	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	0.59	+0.13

Drawdowns

SUSB vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SUSB drawdown since its inception was -13.25%, smaller than the maximum AGG drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SUSB and AGG.

Drawdown Indicators

	SUSB	AGG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.25%	-18.43%	+5.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.49%	-2.76%	+1.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.49%	-6.11%	+4.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.57%	-17.82%	+8.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-18.43%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.27%	-1.93%	+1.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.58%	-2.71%	+1.13%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.36%	0.89%	-0.53%

Volatility

SUSB vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF (SUSB) is 0.64%, while iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has a volatility of 1.32%. This indicates that SUSB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SUSB	AGG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.64%	1.32%	-0.68%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.42%	2.76%	-1.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.93%	3.85%	-1.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.96%	6.09%	-3.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.72%	5.41%	-1.69%

SUSB vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison

SUSB has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG'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

SUSB vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison

SUSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, more than AGG's 3.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	3.98%	3.89%	3.74%	3.13%	2.39%	1.77%	2.14%	2.70%	2.72%	2.32%	2.39%	2.45%
SUSB iShares ESG 1-5 Year USD Corporate Bond ETF	4.50%	4.40%	3.81%	2.81%	1.74%	1.30%	1.91%	2.83%	2.61%	0.96%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SUSB and AGG in my portfolio?

SUSB and AGG have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SUSB or AGG?

AGG has higher volatility (1.32%) compared to SUSB (0.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SUSB dropped -13.25% vs AGG's -18.43%.

Which ETF is better, SUSB or AGG?

On 5-year performance, SUSB leads with 2.24% vs 0.23% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SUSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SUSB or AGG?

Over the 5-year period, SUSB has performed better with a 2.24% return vs 0.23%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SUSB or AGG?

AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.12% for SUSB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SUSB or AGG?

SUSB has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 3.98% for AGG.

What is the main difference between SUSB and AGG?

SUSB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while AGG is Total Bond Market. SUSB tracks Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corporate 1-5 Year ESG Focus Index, while AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for SUSB and 0.03% for AGG.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SUSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.39 vs 1.38), 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.