UL vs. BIV

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

UL (The Unilever Group) is a stock, while BIV (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF) is Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5–10 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, UL returned 4.43%/yr vs 1.83%/yr for BIV. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

UL vs. BIV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Unilever Group (UL) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UL achieves a -12.75% return, which is significantly lower than BIV's -0.67% return. Over the past 10 years, UL has outperformed BIV with an annualized return of 4.43%, while BIV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.83% annualized return.

UL

• 1D: -1.11%
• 1M: -3.03%
• YTD: -12.75%
• 6M: -8.37%
• 1Y: -18.21%
• 3Y*: 3.46%
• 5Y*: -0.18%
• 10Y*: 4.43%

BIV

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: -0.94%
• YTD: -0.67%
• 6M: -0.33%
• 1Y: 4.70%
• 3Y*: 4.27%
• 5Y*: 0.08%
• 10Y*: 1.83%

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

UL vs. BIV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UL The Unilever Group	-12.75%	5.96%	20.90%	-0.17%	-2.82%	-7.61%	9.04%	12.88%	-2.34%	40.15%
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF	-0.67%	8.52%	1.57%	6.07%	-13.21%	-2.40%	9.67%	10.34%	-0.19%	3.65%

Correlation

The correlation between UL and BIV is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.27
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.27
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.23
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.16
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2007	-0.02

The correlation between UL and BIV shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (all time) to 0.27 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UL vs. BIV — Risk / Return Rank

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

UL

UL Risk / Return Rank: 10
UL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
UL Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
UL Omega Ratio Rank: 11
UL Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
UL Martin Ratio Rank: 5

BIV

BIV Risk / Return Rank: 34
BIV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
BIV Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
BIV Omega Ratio Rank: 33
BIV Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
BIV Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

UL vs. BIV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Unilever Group (UL) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV). 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.

	UL	BIV	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.86	1.18	-2.04
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.12	1.76	-2.88
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.87	1.21	-0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.73	1.49	-2.22
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.53	4.40	-5.93
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UL vs. BIV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UL Sharpe Ratio is -0.86, which is lower than the BIV Sharpe Ratio of 1.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UL and BIV, 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

	UL	BIV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.86	1.18	-2.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.01	0.01	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.21	0.33	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.64	-0.25

Drawdowns

UL vs. BIV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UL drawdown since its inception was -53.55%, which is greater than BIV's maximum drawdown of -18.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UL and BIV.

Drawdown Indicators

	UL	BIV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-53.55%	-18.95%	-34.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-25.09%	-3.18%	-21.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.09%	-6.07%	-19.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.53%	-18.74%	-7.79%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-30.13%	-18.95%	-11.18%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-23.50%	-2.46%	-21.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.60%	-3.39%	-7.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.93%	1.07%	+10.86%

Volatility

UL vs. BIV - Volatility Comparison

The Unilever Group (UL) has a higher volatility of 5.63% compared to Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV) at 1.35%. This indicates that UL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UL	BIV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.63%	1.35%	+4.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.17%	2.93%	+15.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.26%	4.00%	+17.26%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.83%	6.40%	+14.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.62%	5.51%	+16.11%

Dividends

UL vs. BIV - Dividend Comparison

UL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.07%, less than BIV's 4.24% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF	4.24%	4.01%	3.79%	3.09%	2.41%	3.42%	2.95%	2.75%	2.88%	2.69%	3.01%	3.02%
UL The Unilever Group	4.07%	3.51%	3.29%	3.83%	3.57%	3.77%	3.07%	3.18%	3.49%	2.80%	3.42%	3.02%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UL and BIV in my portfolio?

UL and BIV have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UL or BIV?

UL has higher volatility (5.63%) compared to BIV (1.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UL dropped -53.55% vs BIV's -18.95%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BIV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.18 vs -0.86), 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.