Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) Performance
VUSB total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +2.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +3.5% total return
- 5 years
- +3.7% a year
- Since first price
- +3.3% a year since 2021
VUSB trailing returns vs AGG, TLT, SPY
| Period | VUSB total return | Price only | U.S. bonds (AGG) | 20+ yr Treasuries (TLT) | S&P 500 (SPY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.5% | +0.1% | +0.9% | +1.5% | −1.0% |
| 3 months | +0.8% | −0.2% | −0.4% | −1.0% | +3.2% |
| 6 months | +1.6% | −0.5% | −1.5% | −3.8% | +7.8% |
| YTD | +2.6% | −0.6% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 1 year | +3.5% | −0.8% | −1.1% | −6.9% | +14.4% |
| 3 years | +16.2%+5.1%/yr | +0.8% | +16.6%+5.2%/yr | +9.7%+3.1%/yr | +87.4%+23.3%/yr |
| 5 years | +19.9%+3.7%/yr | −1.0% | −0.8%−0.2%/yr | −32.5%−7.6%/yr | +79.3%+12.4%/yr |
| Since inceptionApr 7, 2021 | +20.0%+3.3%/yr | −1.0% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: VUSB vs AGG
From Apr 7, 2021: VUSB grew to $11,997, AGG to $10,015.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
VUSB returns by calendar year
3 of 4 full years positive. Best 2024 (+5.7%), worst 2022 (−0.4%). 2026 is year to date.
VUSB annual returns table
| Year | VUSB | Largest drop | AGG | TLT | SPY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +2.6% | −0.4% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 2025 | +5.2% | −0.5% | +7.2% | +4.3% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +5.7% | −0.2% | +1.3% | −8.1% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +5.5% | −0.3% | +5.7% | +2.8% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −0.4% | −1.5% | −13.0% | −31.2% | −18.2% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
VUSB risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +5.1% | +3.6% | +3.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 0.8% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.97 | -0.08 | -0.00 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.62 | -0.10 | -0.01 |
| Best month | +0.9% | +0.9% | +0.9% |
| Worst month | −0.1% | −0.5% | −0.5% |
| Best 12 months | +6.9% | +6.9% | +6.9% |
| Worst 12 months | +3.4% | −1.6% | −1.6% |
| Positive months | 94% | 80% | 80% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.03 | 0.03 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.42 | 0.43 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
VUSB rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 55 | −1.6% | +4.9% | +6.9% | 84% |
| 3-year (a year) | 31 | +2.1% | +4.9% | +5.5% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 7 | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.7% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
VUSB performance overview
Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) returned +3.5% over the past year and +3.7% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +3.3% a year, turning $10,000 into about $11,997. Over the same year U.S. bonds (AGG) returned −1.1%.
Related: VUSB chart, VUSB dividends, VUSB bond profile. See the VUSB overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
VUSB performance FAQ
What is the VUSB return over the past year?
VUSB returned +3.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 0.8%.
What is the average annual return of VUSB?
VUSB has returned +3.7% a year over 5 years, +3.3% a year since April 7, 2021 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in VUSB be worth?
$10,000 invested in VUSB at its first recorded close on April 7, 2021 would be worth about $11,997 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for VUSB?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −0.4%. The best was 2024 at +5.7%.
How volatile is VUSB?
Over the past 3 years VUSB had an annualized volatility of 0.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.97 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).