VABS vs. USTB

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) and VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB).

VABS and USTB are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VABS is an actively managed fund by Virtus Investment Partners. It was launched on Feb 9, 2021. USTB is a passively managed fund by Victory that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg 1–3 Year Credit Index. It was launched on Oct 24, 2017.

Performance

VABS vs. USTB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) and VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VABS vs. USTB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	0.70%	5.40%	7.59%	7.61%	-5.24%	0.45%
USTB VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF	0.35%	6.08%	6.49%	6.69%	-2.82%	0.59%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VABS achieves a 0.70% return, which is significantly higher than USTB's 0.35% return.

VABS

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: -0.39%
• YTD: 0.70%
• 6M: 1.62%
• 1Y: 4.48%
• 3Y*: 6.26%
• 5Y*: 3.20%
• 10Y*: —

USTB

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: -0.43%
• YTD: 0.35%
• 6M: 1.43%
• 1Y: 4.62%
• 3Y*: 6.01%
• 5Y*: 3.43%
• 10Y*: —

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

VABS vs. USTB - Expense Ratio Comparison

VABS has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than USTB's 0.34% expense ratio.

VABS

Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF

USTB

VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF

Return for Risk

VABS vs. USTB — Risk / Return Rank

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

VABS

VABS Risk / Return Rank: 91
VABS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
VABS Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
VABS Omega Ratio Rank: 93
VABS Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
VABS Martin Ratio Rank: 85

USTB

USTB Risk / Return Rank: 98
USTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
USTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
USTB Omega Ratio Rank: 98
USTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
USTB Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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.

VABS vs. USTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) and VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB). 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.

	VABS	USTB	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.03	3.12	-1.09
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.80	4.97	-2.17
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.73	-0.30
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.13	5.47	-1.34
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.78	23.81	-13.03
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VABS vs. USTB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VABS Sharpe Ratio is 2.03, which is lower than the USTB Sharpe Ratio of 3.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VABS and USTB, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VABS	USTB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.03	3.12	-1.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.40	1.72	-0.31
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.37	1.70	-0.33

Correlation

The correlation between VABS and USTB is 0.61, 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

VABS vs. USTB - Dividend Comparison

VABS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.21%, more than USTB's 4.61% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	5.21%	4.94%	5.05%	4.13%	2.47%	1.47%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USTB VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF	4.61%	4.62%	5.05%	4.49%	2.54%	1.84%	2.59%	2.69%	2.32%	0.43%

Drawdowns

VABS vs. USTB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VABS drawdown since its inception was -7.12%, which is greater than USTB's maximum drawdown of -5.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VABS and USTB.

Drawdown Indicators

	VABS	USTB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-7.12%	-5.32%	-1.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.05%	-0.84%	-0.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-7.12%	-4.96%	-2.16%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.63%	-0.59%	-0.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.46%	-0.67%	-0.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.40%	0.19%	+0.21%

Volatility

VABS vs. USTB - Volatility Comparison

Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) has a higher volatility of 0.61% compared to VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF (USTB) at 0.49%. This indicates that VABS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VABS	USTB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.61%	0.49%	+0.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.13%	0.83%	+0.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.22%	1.49%	+0.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.29%	2.01%	+0.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.27%	2.02%	+0.25%