TUSA vs. BILZ
TUSA (First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF) and BILZ (PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Traded Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - TUSA is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ AlphaDEX Total US Market Index, while BILZ is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by PIMCO. TUSA is passively managed, while BILZ is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, TUSA returned 15.76%/yr vs 4.67%/yr for BILZ. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. TUSA charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BILZ.
Performance
TUSA vs. BILZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TUSA achieves a 6.18% return, which is significantly higher than BILZ's 1.64% return.
TUSA
- 1D
- 0.40%
- 1M
- -1.13%
- YTD
- 6.18%
- 6M
- 4.93%
- 1Y
- 18.57%
- 3Y*
- 15.76%
- 5Y*
- 6.66%
- 10Y*
- 10.96%
BILZ
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.25%
- YTD
- 1.64%
- 6M
- 1.75%
- 1Y
- 3.89%
- 3Y*
- 4.67%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
TUSA vs. BILZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TUSA First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF | 6.18% | 13.64% | 11.12% | 13.74% |
BILZ PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Traded Fund | 1.64% | 4.21% | 5.25% | 2.87% |
Correlation
The correlation between TUSA and BILZ is -0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 22, 2023 | -0.04 |
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Return for Risk
TUSA vs. BILZ — Risk / Return Rank
TUSA
BILZ
TUSA vs. BILZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (TUSA) and PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Traded Fund (BILZ). 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.
| TUSA | BILZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -17.27 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -116.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 47.43 | -46.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.84 | 197.44 | -194.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.28 | 1,898.07 | -1,890.80 |
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Drawdowns
TUSA vs. BILZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TUSA drawdown since its inception was -56.53%, which is greater than BILZ's maximum drawdown of -0.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TUSA and BILZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TUSA | BILZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -56.53% | -0.52% | -56.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.57% | -0.02% | -6.55% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.04% | -0.17% | -17.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.35% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.47% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.79% | 0.00% | -4.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.85% | -0.01% | -9.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.56% | 0.00% | +2.56% |
Volatility
TUSA vs. BILZ - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (TUSA) has a higher volatility of 3.03% compared to PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Traded Fund (BILZ) at 0.07%. This indicates that TUSA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BILZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TUSA | BILZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.03% | 0.07% | +2.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.66% | 0.14% | +8.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.03% | 0.21% | +12.82% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.63% | 0.52% | +17.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.15% | 0.52% | +19.63% |
TUSA vs. BILZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
TUSA has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than BILZ's 0.14% expense ratio.
Dividends
TUSA vs. BILZ - Dividend Comparison
TUSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.66%, less than BILZ's 4.07% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BILZ PIMCO Ultra Short Government Active Exchange-Traded Fund | 4.07% | 4.19% | 4.95% | 2.23% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
TUSA First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF | 1.66% | 1.59% | 2.05% | 2.15% | 2.31% | 0.72% | 0.99% | 1.13% | 1.14% | 0.79% | 1.24% | 0.95% |
Frequently Asked Questions
TUSA and BILZ have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TUSA has higher volatility (3.03%) compared to BILZ (0.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TUSA dropped -56.53% vs BILZ's -0.52%.
On 3-year performance, TUSA leads with 15.76% vs 4.67% for BILZ. On fees, BILZ is cheaper at 0.14% per year. On volatility, BILZ has been the lower-risk option at 0.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, TUSA has performed better with a 15.76% return vs 4.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BILZ is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for TUSA.
BILZ has the higher dividend yield at 4.07%, compared with 1.66% for TUSA.
TUSA is categorized as Mid Cap Blend Equities, while BILZ is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and PIMCO. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for TUSA and 0.14% for BILZ.
BILZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (18.70 vs 1.43), 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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