UJB vs. VTIP

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

UJB (ProShares Ultra High Yield) and VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UJB is a Leveraged Bonds fund tracking the Markit iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index, while VTIP is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UJB returned 6.36%/yr vs 3.14%/yr for VTIP. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UJB charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTIP.

Performance

UJB vs. VTIP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares Ultra High Yield (UJB) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UJB achieves a 0.81% return, which is significantly lower than VTIP's 2.05% return. Over the past 10 years, UJB has outperformed VTIP with an annualized return of 6.36%, while VTIP has yielded a comparatively lower 3.14% annualized return.

UJB

• 1D: -0.45%
• 1M: 0.33%
• YTD: 0.81%
• 6M: 1.28%
• 1Y: 8.44%
• 3Y*: 11.49%
• 5Y*: 3.01%
• 10Y*: 6.36%

VTIP

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.04%
• YTD: 2.05%
• 6M: 2.03%
• 1Y: 4.70%
• 3Y*: 5.26%
• 5Y*: 3.37%
• 10Y*: 3.14%

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

UJB vs. VTIP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UJB ProShares Ultra High Yield	0.81%	12.22%	9.41%	17.70%	-23.27%	6.96%	5.19%	26.68%	-6.08%	11.77%
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	2.05%	6.07%	4.74%	4.62%	-2.94%	5.36%	4.95%	4.86%	0.56%	0.82%

Correlation

The correlation between UJB and VTIP is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.21
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.40
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2012	0.21

The correlation between UJB and VTIP shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (all time) to 0.40 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UJB vs. VTIP — Risk / Return Rank

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

UJB

UJB Risk / Return Rank: 35
UJB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
UJB Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
UJB Omega Ratio Rank: 32
UJB Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
UJB Martin Ratio Rank: 44

VTIP

VTIP Risk / Return Rank: 93
VTIP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
VTIP Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
VTIP Omega Ratio Rank: 93
VTIP Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
VTIP Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

UJB vs. VTIP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra High Yield (UJB) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). 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.

	UJB	VTIP	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.16	3.15	-1.98
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.74	5.36	-3.62
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.67	-0.45
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.69	6.75	-5.06
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.20	26.06	-18.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UJB vs. VTIP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UJB Sharpe Ratio is 1.16, which is lower than the VTIP Sharpe Ratio of 3.15. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UJB and VTIP, 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

	UJB	VTIP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.16	3.15	-1.98
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21	1.22	-1.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.35	1.15	-0.80
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.89	-0.56

Drawdowns

UJB vs. VTIP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UJB drawdown since its inception was -40.14%, which is greater than VTIP's maximum drawdown of -6.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UJB and VTIP.

Drawdown Indicators

	UJB	VTIP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.14%	-6.27%	-33.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.01%	-0.70%	-4.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.47%	-0.98%	-8.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.14%	-5.50%	-24.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.14%	-6.27%	-33.87%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.85%	-0.02%	-0.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.17%	-1.04%	-5.13%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.17%	0.18%	+0.99%

Volatility

UJB vs. VTIP - Volatility Comparison

ProShares Ultra High Yield (UJB) has a higher volatility of 2.29% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) at 0.43%. This indicates that UJB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTIP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UJB	VTIP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.29%	0.43%	+1.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.76%	1.02%	+4.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.29%	1.50%	+5.79%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.67%	2.77%	+11.90%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.28%	2.74%	+15.54%

UJB vs. VTIP - Expense Ratio Comparison

UJB has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than VTIP's 0.03% expense ratio.

Dividends

UJB vs. VTIP - Dividend Comparison

UJB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.35%, less than VTIP's 3.58% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
UJB ProShares Ultra High Yield	3.35%	2.61%	3.02%	3.92%	0.05%	0.63%	2.88%	3.95%	3.22%	2.67%	2.35%	3.62%
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	3.58%	3.81%	2.70%	2.86%	6.84%	4.68%	1.20%	1.95%	2.45%	1.52%	0.76%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UJB and VTIP in my portfolio?

UJB and VTIP have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UJB or VTIP?

UJB has higher volatility (2.29%) compared to VTIP (0.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UJB dropped -40.14% vs VTIP's -6.27%.

Which ETF is better, UJB or VTIP?

On 10-year performance, UJB leads with 6.36% vs 3.14% for VTIP. On fees, VTIP is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTIP has been the lower-risk option at 0.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UJB or VTIP?

Over the 10-year period, UJB has performed better with a 6.36% return vs 3.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UJB or VTIP?

VTIP is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for UJB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UJB or VTIP?

VTIP has the higher dividend yield at 3.58%, compared with 3.35% for UJB.

What is the main difference between UJB and VTIP?

UJB is categorized as Leveraged Bonds, while VTIP is Inflation-Protected Bonds. UJB tracks Markit iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index, while VTIP tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for UJB and 0.03% for VTIP.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VTIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.15 vs 1.16), 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.