VUSB vs. FLRN
VUSB (Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF) and FLRN (SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VUSB is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Vanguard, while FLRN is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Notes (<5 Y). VUSB is actively managed, while FLRN is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VUSB returned 3.45%/yr vs 4.20%/yr for FLRN. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VUSB charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for FLRN.
Performance
VUSB vs. FLRN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VUSB achieves a 1.48% return, which is significantly lower than FLRN's 1.93% return.
VUSB
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 1.48%
- 6M
- 1.78%
- 1Y
- 4.47%
- 3Y*
- 5.40%
- 5Y*
- 3.45%
- 10Y*
- —
FLRN
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.38%
- YTD
- 1.93%
- 6M
- 2.15%
- 1Y
- 4.81%
- 3Y*
- 5.60%
- 5Y*
- 4.20%
- 10Y*
- 3.03%
VUSB vs. FLRN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 1.48% | 5.20% | 5.68% | 5.52% | -0.36% | 0.08% |
FLRN SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF | 1.93% | 5.01% | 6.32% | 6.54% | 1.31% | 0.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between VUSB and FLRN is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 7, 2021 | 0.09 |
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Return for Risk
VUSB vs. FLRN — Risk / Return Rank
VUSB
FLRN
VUSB vs. FLRN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) and SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF (FLRN). 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.
| VUSB | FLRN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 3.34 | 3.33 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 12.12 | 21.24 | -9.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 69.82 | 127.12 | -57.29 |
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Drawdowns
VUSB vs. FLRN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VUSB drawdown since its inception was -1.79%, smaller than the maximum FLRN drawdown of -14.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSB and FLRN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VUSB | FLRN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -1.79% | -14.64% | +12.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.37% | -0.23% | -0.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.46% | -1.43% | +0.97% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.79% | -2.16% | +0.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -14.64% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.27% | -1.82% | +1.55% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.06% | 0.04% | +0.02% |
Volatility
VUSB vs. FLRN - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) has a higher volatility of 0.19% compared to SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF (FLRN) at 0.16%. This indicates that VUSB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FLRN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VUSB | FLRN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.19% | 0.16% | +0.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.53% | 0.53% | 0.00% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.65% | 0.69% | -0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.83% | 1.69% | -0.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.82% | 4.20% | -3.38% |
VUSB vs. FLRN - Expense Ratio Comparison
VUSB has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than FLRN'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
VUSB vs. FLRN - Dividend Comparison
VUSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.39%, less than FLRN's 4.50% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLRN SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF | 4.50% | 4.89% | 5.67% | 5.68% | 1.95% | 0.39% | 1.22% | 2.76% | 2.39% | 1.64% | 1.06% | 0.63% |
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 4.39% | 4.63% | 5.16% | 4.45% | 1.56% | 0.26% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VUSB and FLRN have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VUSB has higher volatility (0.19%) compared to FLRN (0.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VUSB dropped -1.79% vs FLRN's -14.64%.
On 5-year performance, FLRN leads with 4.20% vs 3.45% for VUSB. On fees, VUSB is cheaper at 0.10% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FLRN has performed better with a 4.20% return vs 3.45%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VUSB is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for FLRN.
FLRN has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 4.39% for VUSB.
VUSB is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while FLRN is Corporate Bonds. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for VUSB and 0.15% for FLRN.
FLRN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.03 vs 6.91), 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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