TRBUX vs. PREIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TRBUX (T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund) and PREIX (T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund) are both mutual funds - TRBUX is a Ultrashort Bond fund managed by T. Rowe Price, while PREIX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by T. Rowe Price. Over the past 10 years, TRBUX returned 3.31%/yr vs 15.42%/yr for PREIX. At a correlation of -0.00, they often move in opposite directions. TRBUX charges 0.31%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for PREIX.

Performance

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (TRBUX) and T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund (PREIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TRBUX achieves a 1.59% return, which is significantly lower than PREIX's 11.61% return. Over the past 10 years, TRBUX has underperformed PREIX with an annualized return of 3.31%, while PREIX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.42% annualized return.

TRBUX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.56%
• YTD: 1.59%
• 6M: 2.58%
• 1Y: 6.43%
• 3Y*: 6.82%
• 5Y*: 4.32%
• 10Y*: 3.31%

PREIX

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 5.78%
• YTD: 11.61%
• 6M: 11.63%
• 1Y: 28.74%
• 3Y*: 22.53%
• 5Y*: 14.08%
• 10Y*: 15.42%

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

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TRBUX T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund	1.59%	6.88%	7.88%	6.99%	-1.28%	0.22%	3.11%	3.60%	1.88%	1.83%
PREIX T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund	11.61%	17.66%	24.78%	26.07%	-18.27%	28.48%	18.17%	31.47%	-4.59%	21.01%

Correlation

The correlation between TRBUX and PREIX is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.07
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 4, 2013	-0.00

The correlation between TRBUX and PREIX shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (all time) to 0.13 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

TRBUX vs. PREIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

TRBUX

TRBUX Risk / Return Rank: 99
TRBUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
TRBUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
TRBUX Omega Ratio Rank: 99
TRBUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
TRBUX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

PREIX

PREIX Risk / Return Rank: 72
PREIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
PREIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
PREIX Omega Ratio Rank: 66
PREIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
PREIX Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (TRBUX) and T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund (PREIX). 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.

	TRBUX	PREIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.90	2.50	+1.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	10.21	3.40	+6.82
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	4.18	1.45	+2.72
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	16.93	3.32	+13.61
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	65.96	15.47	+50.49
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TRBUX Sharpe Ratio is 3.90, which is higher than the PREIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.50. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TRBUX and PREIX, 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

	TRBUX	PREIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.90	2.50	+1.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	2.60	0.83	+1.77
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	2.21	0.85	+1.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.96	0.61	+1.34

Drawdowns

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TRBUX drawdown since its inception was -4.15%, smaller than the maximum PREIX drawdown of -55.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TRBUX and PREIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TRBUX	PREIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.15%	-55.32%	+51.17%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.39%	-8.93%	+8.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.78%	-18.78%	+18.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-2.68%	-24.60%	+21.92%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-4.15%	-33.81%	+29.66%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.21%	-8.73%	+8.52%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.10%	1.91%	-1.81%

Volatility

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund (TRBUX) is 0.68%, while T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund (PREIX) has a volatility of 2.83%. This indicates that TRBUX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PREIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TRBUX	PREIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.68%	2.83%	-2.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.18%	8.98%	-7.80%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.71%	11.87%	-10.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	1.68%	17.00%	-15.32%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	1.50%	18.11%	-16.61%

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

TRBUX has a 0.31% expense ratio, which is higher than PREIX's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

TRBUX vs. PREIX - Dividend Comparison

TRBUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.03%, more than PREIX's 2.10% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PREIX T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund	2.10%	2.32%	1.17%	1.32%	1.50%	1.56%	1.97%	2.13%	2.60%	1.30%	2.03%	2.02%
TRBUX T. Rowe Price Ultra Short-Term Bond Fund	6.03%	6.23%	6.36%	4.48%	1.53%	1.21%	1.86%	2.73%	2.47%	1.62%	1.18%	0.81%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TRBUX and PREIX in my portfolio?

TRBUX and PREIX have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TRBUX or PREIX?

PREIX has higher volatility (2.83%) compared to TRBUX (0.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TRBUX dropped -4.15% vs PREIX's -55.32%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TRBUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.90 vs 2.50), 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.