ULST vs. BSV
ULST (State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) and BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - ULST is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index, while BSV is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ULST returned 2.69%/yr vs 1.91%/yr for BSV. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ULST charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BSV.
Performance
ULST vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ULST achieves a 1.36% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.32% return. Over the past 10 years, ULST has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 2.69%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.91% annualized return.
ULST
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.23%
- YTD
- 1.36%
- 6M
- 1.50%
- 1Y
- 3.76%
- 3Y*
- 4.89%
- 5Y*
- 3.53%
- 10Y*
- 2.69%
BSV
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- 0.21%
- YTD
- 0.32%
- 6M
- 0.51%
- 1Y
- 3.18%
- 3Y*
- 4.51%
- 5Y*
- 1.68%
- 10Y*
- 1.91%
ULST vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 1.36% | 4.80% | 5.23% | 5.60% | 0.87% | 0.25% | 1.45% | 3.23% | 2.04% | 1.19% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.32% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between ULST and BSV is 0.63, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 10, 2013 | 0.25 |
Over the past year, ULST and BSV have become more correlated (0.63) than their long-term average of 0.25, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
ULST vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
ULST
BSV
ULST vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| ULST | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.97 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +8.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 2.60 | 1.33 | +1.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 15.94 | 2.48 | +13.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 82.17 | 8.14 | +74.03 |
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Drawdowns
ULST vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ULST drawdown since its inception was -6.20%, smaller than the maximum BSV drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULST and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ULST | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.20% | -8.54% | +2.34% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.24% | -1.29% | +1.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.54% | -1.53% | +0.99% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.22% | -8.54% | +7.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.20% | -8.54% | +2.34% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.60% | +0.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.16% | -0.97% | +0.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.05% | 0.39% | -0.34% |
Volatility
ULST vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) is 0.19%, while Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) has a volatility of 0.60%. This indicates that ULST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ULST | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.19% | 0.60% | -0.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.45% | 1.33% | -0.88% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66% | 1.82% | -1.16% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.97% | 2.73% | -1.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.44% | 2.38% | -0.94% |
ULST vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
ULST has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV'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
ULST vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
ULST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.28%, more than BSV's 3.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.99% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 4.28% | 4.46% | 5.03% | 4.45% | 1.70% | 0.54% | 1.34% | 2.56% | 2.13% | 1.21% | 0.93% | 0.37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ULST and BSV have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BSV has higher volatility (0.60%) compared to ULST (0.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ULST dropped -6.20% vs BSV's -8.54%.
On 10-year performance, ULST leads with 2.69% vs 1.91% for BSV. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, ULST has been the lower-risk option at 0.19%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ULST has performed better with a 2.69% return vs 1.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for ULST.
ULST has the higher dividend yield at 4.28%, compared with 3.99% for BSV.
ULST is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while BSV is Short-Term Bond. ULST tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index, while BSV tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for ULST and 0.03% for BSV.
ULST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.72 vs 1.76), 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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