Western Asset Bond ETF (WABF) Performance
WABF total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −1.5% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −1.6% total return
- 3 years
- +6.0% a year
- Since first price
- +4.6% a year since 2023
WABF trailing returns vs AGG, TLT, SPY
| Period | WABF total return | Price only | U.S. bonds (AGG) | 20+ yr Treasuries (TLT) | S&P 500 (SPY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.7% | +0.1% | +0.9% | +1.5% | −1.0% |
| 3 months | −0.7% | −2.1% | −0.4% | −1.0% | +3.2% |
| 6 months | −2.1% | −5.1% | −1.5% | −3.8% | +7.8% |
| YTD | −1.5% | −5.4% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 1 year | −1.6% | −6.7% | −1.1% | −6.9% | +14.4% |
| 3 years | +19.1%+6.0%/yr | +0.3% | +16.6%+5.2%/yr | +9.7%+3.1%/yr | +87.4%+23.3%/yr |
| Since inceptionSep 21, 2023 | +15.0%+4.6%/yr | −3.3% | — | — | — |
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: WABF vs AGG
From Sep 21, 2023: WABF grew to $11,497, AGG to $11,408.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
WABF returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2025 (+7.9%), worst 2024 (+1.3%). 2026 is year to date.
WABF annual returns table
| Year | WABF | Largest drop | AGG | TLT | SPY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −1.5% | −5.2% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 2025 | +7.9% | −3.6% | +7.2% | +4.3% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +1.3% | −4.5% | +1.3% | −8.1% | +24.9% |
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.
WABF largest drawdowns
Now 3.3% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2024 | −5.4% | Jan 13, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 | 4 months | 9 months |
| Feb 27, 2026 | −5.2% | Oct 5, 2026 | not yet | 7 months | 8 months so far |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 5% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
WABF risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +4.4% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.7% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.03 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.05 |
| Best month | +5.7% |
| Worst month | −3.0% |
| Best 12 months | +13.1% |
| Worst 12 months | −2.3% |
| Positive months | 64% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.29 |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.54 |
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.
WABF rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 26 | −2.3% | +5.2% | +13.1% | 92% |
| 3-year (a year) | 2 | +4.4% | +5.2% | +6.0% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
WABF performance overview
Western Asset Bond ETF (WABF) returned −1.6% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +4.6% a year, turning $10,000 into about $11,497. Over the same year U.S. bonds (AGG) returned −1.1%.
The deepest decline was −5.4%, from Sep 16, 2024 to Jan 13, 2025, and it took 6 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 6.7% a year.
Related: WABF chart, WABF dividends, WABF bond profile. See the WABF overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
WABF performance FAQ
What is the WABF return over the past year?
WABF returned −1.6% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 6.7%.
How much would $10,000 invested in WABF be worth?
$10,000 invested in WABF at its first recorded close on September 21, 2023 would be worth about $11,497 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for WABF?
The worst calendar year was 2024, with a total return of +1.3%. The best was 2025 at +7.9%.
What is the biggest drawdown of WABF?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −5.4% between September 16, 2024 and January 13, 2025. It recovered to the old high on July 1, 2025, 6 months after the bottom.
How volatile is WABF?
Over the past 3 years WABF had an annualized volatility of 6.7% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.03 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).