ULST vs. DFIHX

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

ULST (State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) and DFIHX (DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio) are both Ultrashort Bond funds. Over the past 10 years, ULST returned 2.65%/yr vs 1.97%/yr for DFIHX. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ULST charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for DFIHX.

Performance

ULST vs. DFIHX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) and DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ULST achieves a 1.25% return, which is significantly lower than DFIHX's 1.42% return. Over the past 10 years, ULST has outperformed DFIHX with an annualized return of 2.65%, while DFIHX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.97% annualized return.

ULST

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.15%
• YTD: 1.25%
• 6M: 1.58%
• 1Y: 3.95%
• 3Y*: 4.91%
• 5Y*: 3.52%
• 10Y*: 2.65%

DFIHX

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 0.10%
• YTD: 1.42%
• 6M: 1.73%
• 1Y: 3.55%
• 3Y*: 4.43%
• 5Y*: 2.74%
• 10Y*: 1.97%

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

ULST vs. DFIHX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF	1.25%	4.80%	5.23%	5.60%	0.87%	0.25%	1.45%	3.23%	2.04%	1.19%
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	1.42%	3.41%	5.41%	4.98%	-1.19%	-0.19%	0.62%	2.44%	1.87%	0.94%

Correlation

The correlation between ULST and DFIHX is 0.06, 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	0.06
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.07
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 11, 2013	0.07

Return for Risk

ULST vs. DFIHX — Risk / Return Rank

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

ULST

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

DFIHX

DFIHX Risk / Return Rank: 99
DFIHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
DFIHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

ULST vs. DFIHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) and DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX). 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.

	ULST	DFIHX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	6.08	4.97	+1.11
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	12.18	8.46	+3.72
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	2.76	6.40	-3.64
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	16.75	9.23	+7.52
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	87.10	55.98	+31.12
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ULST vs. DFIHX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ULST Sharpe Ratio is 6.08, which is comparable to the DFIHX Sharpe Ratio of 4.97. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ULST and DFIHX, 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

	ULST	DFIHX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.08	4.97	+1.11
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	3.67	2.75	+0.92
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.85	2.49	-0.64
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.50	1.52	-0.02

Drawdowns

ULST vs. DFIHX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ULST drawdown since its inception was -6.20%, which is greater than DFIHX's maximum drawdown of -2.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULST and DFIHX.

Drawdown Indicators

	ULST	DFIHX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-6.20%	-2.53%	-3.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.24%	-0.39%	+0.15%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.54%	-0.49%	-0.05%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-1.22%	-2.26%	+1.04%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-6.20%	-2.26%	-3.94%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.05%	-0.10%	+0.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.16%	-0.15%	-0.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.05%	0.06%	-0.01%

Volatility

ULST vs. DFIHX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) is 0.17%, while DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) has a volatility of 0.19%. This indicates that ULST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFIHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ULST	DFIHX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.17%	0.19%	-0.02%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.43%	0.44%	-0.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.65%	0.72%	-0.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.96%	1.00%	-0.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	1.44%	0.80%	+0.64%

ULST vs. DFIHX - Expense Ratio Comparison

ULST has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than DFIHX's 0.13% 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. DFIHX - Dividend Comparison

ULST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.29%, more than DFIHX's 3.59% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	3.59%	3.26%	4.99%	3.37%	1.07%	0.00%	0.62%	2.12%	1.85%	1.13%	0.66%	0.51%
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF	4.29%	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

Can I hold both ULST and DFIHX in my portfolio?

ULST and DFIHX have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ULST or DFIHX?

DFIHX has higher volatility (0.19%) compared to ULST (0.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ULST dropped -6.20% vs DFIHX's -2.53%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ULST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.08 vs 4.97), 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.