VLU vs. USFR
VLU (SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF) and USFR (WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - VLU is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index, while USFR is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VLU returned 14.20%/yr vs 2.43%/yr for USFR. At a 0.00 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VLU charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for USFR.
Performance
VLU vs. USFR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VLU achieves a 13.07% return, which is significantly higher than USFR's 1.82% return. Over the past 10 years, VLU has outperformed USFR with an annualized return of 14.20%, while USFR has yielded a comparatively lower 2.43% annualized return.
VLU
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.59%
- YTD
- 13.07%
- 6M
- 12.43%
- 1Y
- 27.85%
- 3Y*
- 20.19%
- 5Y*
- 12.35%
- 10Y*
- 14.20%
USFR
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 1.82%
- 6M
- 1.92%
- 1Y
- 3.99%
- 3Y*
- 4.74%
- 5Y*
- 3.71%
- 10Y*
- 2.43%
VLU vs. USFR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF | 13.07% | 16.70% | 17.24% | 17.18% | -8.24% | 30.95% | 9.91% | 26.20% | -7.89% | 18.16% |
USFR WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | 1.82% | 4.23% | 5.47% | 5.18% | 1.98% | -0.03% | 0.56% | 2.02% | 2.01% | 1.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between VLU and USFR is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 4, 2014 | 0.00 |
The correlation between VLU and USFR shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.00 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VLU vs. USFR — Risk / Return Rank
VLU
USFR
VLU vs. USFR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) and WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund (USFR). 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.
| VLU | USFR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -12.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -46.58 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.47 | 13.31 | -11.84 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.41 | 201.33 | -196.92 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 17.56 | 779.76 | -762.21 |
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Drawdowns
VLU vs. USFR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VLU drawdown since its inception was -37.39%, which is greater than USFR's maximum drawdown of -1.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VLU and USFR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VLU | USFR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.39% | -1.36% | -36.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.34% | -0.02% | -6.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.22% | -0.06% | -16.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.55% | -0.18% | -19.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.39% | -0.80% | -36.59% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.37% | 0.00% | -1.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.73% | -0.15% | -3.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.59% | 0.01% | +1.58% |
Volatility
VLU vs. USFR - Volatility Comparison
SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) has a higher volatility of 2.94% compared to WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund (USFR) at 0.09%. This indicates that VLU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USFR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VLU | USFR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.94% | 0.09% | +2.85% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.90% | 0.19% | +7.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.98% | 0.27% | +10.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.39% | 0.40% | +14.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.06% | 0.78% | +17.28% |
VLU vs. USFR - Expense Ratio Comparison
VLU has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than USFR's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VLU vs. USFR - Dividend Comparison
VLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%, less than USFR's 3.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USFR WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund | 3.90% | 4.15% | 5.17% | 5.12% | 1.78% | 0.01% | 0.40% | 2.08% | 1.67% | 1.03% | 0.29% | 0.00% |
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF | 1.64% | 1.82% | 2.00% | 2.02% | 2.16% | 1.86% | 1.98% | 2.19% | 2.57% | 1.96% | 2.14% | 6.37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VLU and USFR have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VLU has higher volatility (2.94%) compared to USFR (0.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VLU dropped -37.39% vs USFR's -1.36%.
On 10-year performance, VLU leads with 14.20% vs 2.43% for USFR. On fees, VLU is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, USFR has been the lower-risk option at 0.09%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VLU has performed better with a 14.20% return vs 2.43%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VLU is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for USFR.
USFR has the higher dividend yield at 3.90%, compared with 1.64% for VLU.
VLU is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while USFR is Government Bonds. VLU tracks S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index, while USFR tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and WisdomTree. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for VLU and 0.15% for USFR.
USFR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (14.67 vs 2.55), 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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