USRT vs. DESK
USRT (iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF) and DESK (Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF) are both REIT funds - USRT tracks the FTSE Nareit Equity REITS 40 Act Capped Index while DESK tracks the MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, USRT returned 25.30% vs 16.02% for DESK. Their 0.77 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. USRT charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for DESK.
Performance
USRT vs. DESK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USRT achieves a 20.27% return, which is significantly higher than DESK's 18.44% return.
USRT
- 1D
- -0.54%
- 1M
- 0.64%
- 6M
- 16.77%
- YTD
- 20.27%
- 1Y
- 25.30%
- 3Y*
- 12.13%
- 5Y*
- 5.19%
- 10Y*
- 6.03%
- ALL TIME*
- 5.55%
DESK
- 1D
- -1.35%
- 1M
- -1.15%
- 6M
- 18.50%
- YTD
- 18.44%
- 1Y
- 16.02%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 12.29%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.35M | $1.56M | $562.16K | |
| $30.77M | $33.55M | $34.12M |
USRT vs. DESK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 20.27% | 2.44% | 8.58% | 9.93% |
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF | 18.44% | -10.42% | 16.01% | 13.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between USRT and DESK is 0.72, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.72 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 21, 2023 | 0.77 |
The correlation between USRT and DESK has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.72 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
USRT vs. DESK — Risk / Return Rank
USRT
DESK
USRT vs. DESK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT) and Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK). 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.
| USRT | DESK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.42 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.13 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.09 | 0.58 | +2.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.42 | 1.23 | +9.20 |
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Drawdowns
USRT vs. DESK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USRT drawdown since its inception was -69.92%, which is greater than DESK's maximum drawdown of -28.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USRT and DESK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USRT | DESK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -69.92% | -28.65% | -41.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.04% | -25.09% | +17.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.70% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.03% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.38% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.76% | -3.05% | +0.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.88% | -11.00% | -1.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.37% | 11.78% | -9.41% |
Volatility
USRT vs. DESK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT) is 4.64%, while Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK) has a volatility of 6.00%. This indicates that USRT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DESK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| USRT | DESK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.64% | 6.00% | -1.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.64% | 15.86% | -5.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.87% | 20.51% | -6.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.93% | 25.68% | -6.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.34% | 25.68% | -4.34% |
USRT vs. DESK - Expense Ratio Comparison
USRT has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than DESK's 0.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
USRT vs. DESK - Dividend Comparison
USRT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.51%, less than DESK's 4.67% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF | 4.67% | 5.15% | 3.78% | 1.73% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 2.51% | 3.07% | 2.85% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.27% | 3.12% | 3.34% | 5.66% | 3.44% | 3.98% | 3.59% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USRT and DESK have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DESK has higher volatility (6.00%) compared to USRT (4.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USRT dropped -69.92% vs DESK's -28.65%.
On 1-year performance, USRT leads with 25.30% vs 16.02% for DESK. On fees, USRT is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, USRT has been the lower-risk option at 4.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, USRT has performed better with a 25.30% return vs 16.02%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USRT is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for DESK.
DESK has the higher dividend yield at 4.67%, compared with 2.51% for USRT.
USRT tracks FTSE Nareit Equity REITS 40 Act Capped Index, while DESK tracks MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross. They also come from different issuers: iShares and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for USRT and 0.50% for DESK.
USRT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.80 vs 0.71), 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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