ULST vs. VUSB
Compare and contrast key facts about State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) and Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB).
ULST and VUSB are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ULST is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg US Treasury Bellwether 3 Month Index. It was launched on Oct 9, 2013. VUSB is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Apr 5, 2021.
Performance
ULST vs. VUSB - Performance Comparison
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ULST vs. VUSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 0.64% | 4.80% | 5.23% | 5.60% | 0.87% | 0.03% |
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 0.59% | 5.20% | 5.68% | 5.52% | -0.36% | 0.00% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ULST achieves a 0.64% return, which is significantly higher than VUSB's 0.59% return.
ULST
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 0.64%
- 6M
- 1.68%
- 1Y
- 4.08%
- 3Y*
- 4.98%
- 5Y*
- 3.42%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
VUSB
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.12%
- YTD
- 0.59%
- 6M
- 1.76%
- 1Y
- 4.48%
- 3Y*
- 5.28%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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ULST vs. VUSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
ULST has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VUSB's 0.10% 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%.
Return for Risk
ULST vs. VUSB — Risk / Return Rank
ULST
VUSB
ULST vs. VUSB - 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 Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB). 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 | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 5.05 | 5.84 | -0.79 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 9.61 | 9.33 | +0.29 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 2.43 | 2.86 | -0.43 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 11.10 | 9.75 | +1.35 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 68.31 | 50.27 | +18.04 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ULST | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.05 | 5.84 | -0.79 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 3.57 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.81 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.48 | 4.00 | -2.53 |
Correlation
The correlation between ULST and VUSB is 0.44, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
ULST vs. VUSB - Dividend Comparison
ULST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.38%, less than VUSB's 4.53% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ULST State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | 4.38% | 4.46% | 5.03% | 4.45% | 1.70% | 0.54% | 1.34% | 2.56% | 2.13% | 1.21% | 0.93% | 0.37% |
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 4.53% | 4.63% | 5.16% | 4.45% | 1.56% | 0.26% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
ULST vs. VUSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ULST drawdown since its inception was -6.20%, which is greater than VUSB's maximum drawdown of -1.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULST and VUSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ULST | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.20% | -1.79% | -4.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.37% | -0.46% | +0.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.22% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.20% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.01% | -0.12% | +0.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.16% | -0.28% | +0.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.06% | 0.09% | -0.03% |
Volatility
ULST vs. VUSB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Ultra Short Term Bond ETF (ULST) is 0.25%, while Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) has a volatility of 0.37%. This indicates that ULST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VUSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ULST | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.25% | 0.37% | -0.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.42% | 0.49% | -0.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81% | 0.77% | +0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.96% | 0.83% | +0.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.47% | 0.83% | +0.64% |