MBB vs PULS: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
MBB and PULS are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. MBB is iShares MBS ETF, while PULS is PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF. MBB is broader by holdings count, with 11,209 positions versus 1,033 for PULS. MBB has the lower expense ratio. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has MBB ahead on AIQ Score, 61 versus 55.
What is the main difference between MBB and PULS?
MBB holds 11,209 positions to PULS's 1,033, and 0% of their weight is in the same securities.
| Metric | MBB | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.15% |
| Holdings | 11,209 | 1,033 |
| Top-10 concentration | 5.8% | 6.9% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 4.5% | 4.38% |
| Average volume | 3,855,988 | 2,924,131 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | -5.6% | -0.3% |
| YTD return | -5% | 0% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | -0.1% | +4.4% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 5.1% | 1.3% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.1% | -0.7% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -16.8% | -0.8% |
| Beta | 0.16 | 0.00 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.90 | -3.33 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.68 | -2.59 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 61/100 | 55/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Momentum | 55/100 | 58/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 87/100 | 67/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
iShares MBS ETF vs PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF
MBB leads
MBB leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Value, having only recently taken the lead back from PULS.
Fragile: 3 of 4 evidence groups support MBB, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
iShares MBS ETF
PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MBB over PULS, 61 versus 55 as of Oct 21, 2026. MBB's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and value. MBB also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MBB today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. MBB lead: Reversed — PULS led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; MBB now leads by 6.
Compare iShares MBS ETF and PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
MBB vs PULS: which fits what
Each row is settled by a single measure. Where the gap is too small to matter it reads Similar, and no row decides the comparison as a whole.
| If you want | MBB | PULS | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.04% | 0.15% | MBB |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 11,209 | 1,033 | MBB |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 5.8% | 6.9% | Similar |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 4.5% | 4.38% | Similar |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -16.8% | -0.8% | PULS |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 5.1% | 1.3% | PULS |
Similar means the gap is within 0.01 percentage points of expense ratio, 25% more holdings, 3 points of top-10 weight, 0.2 points of yield, 2 points of drawdown or 1 point of volatility. Past drawdowns and volatility describe the funds’ history, not their future.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes for both ETFs.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare MBB and PULS against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience87 vs 67MBB +20
- Value45 vs 36MBB +9
- Quality68 vs 65Even
- Momentum55 vs 58Even
3 of 4 evidence groups favor MBB. MBB’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and value.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +22
New signals
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
MBB's lead narrowed by 5 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MBB and PULS both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
MBB (iShares MBS ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and value.
PULS (PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF): the counter-case, on technicals.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | MBB | PULS | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.15% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 11,209 | 1,033 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 3,855,988 | 2,924,131 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 5.1% | 1.3% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.1% | -0.7% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.90 | -3.33 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.16 | 0.00 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
How much of the same holdings they own
MBB and PULS share 0% of their weighted exposure across 0 common holdings.
11,154 holdings are unique to MBB, and 741 holdings are unique to PULS. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
PULS is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 6.88% of the fund, against 5.82% for MBB (1,033 holdings vs 11,209). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
What MBB adds that PULS doesn’t
| Holding | MBB | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| FHLMC 30YR UMBS SUPER 2.00% 05/01/2051 | 0.87% | Not held |
| UMBS 30YR TBA(REG A) 5.50% 10/13/2026 | 0.79% | Not held |
| UMBS 30YR TBA(REG A) 5.00% 10/13/2026 | 0.67% | Not held |
| GNMA2 30YR TBA(REG C) 5.50% 09/21/2026 | 0.63% | Not held |
| GNMA2 30YR TBA(REG C) 6.00% 09/21/2026 | 0.56% | Not held |
| GNMA2 30YR TBA(REG C) 5.00% 09/21/2026 | 0.49% | Not held |
What PULS adds that MBB doesn’t
| Holding | PULS | MBB |
|---|---|---|
| PAAAPGIM AAA CLO ETF | 1.93% | Not held |
| HEALTHPEAK OP LLC 0.0 23SEP26 144A | 0.68% | Not held |
| INTESA SANPAOLO SPA N Y BRH 01JUL27 | 0.65% | Not held |
| ALIMENTATION COUCH 0.0 06OCT26 144A | 0.63% | Not held |
| ALEXANDRIA REAL ES 0.0 18SEP26 144A | 0.59% | Not held |
| ALEXANDRIA REAL ES 0.0 14SEP26 144A | 0.51% | Not held |
Each list is a fund’s largest positions by weight that the other fund does not hold, or holds at less than half the weight.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MBB. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | MBB | 61 vs 55 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | MBB | Value 45 vs 36 |
| Technicals | PULS | Price vs 50-day -1% vs 0%; vs 200-day -3.7% vs -0.1% |
| Risk Resilience | MBB | Risk Resilience 87 vs 67 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MBB and PULS and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MBB.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20MBB lead: Reversed — PULS led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; MBB now leads by 6.
- Today
- MBB +6
- 61 vs 55
- 7 sessions ago
- MBB +10
- 58 vs 48
- 30 sessions ago
- PULS +1
- 53 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- MBB +3
- 55 vs 52
The lead changed hands 8 times in this window, most recently on Sep 30 when MBB moved ahead of PULS.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only MBB
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
2 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only PULS
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Compression — neutral, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (0.5%)
Both carry 5 more signals that do not separate them: Death Cross Active, ATR Contraction - Coiling, 52-Week Low Proximity, Downtrend Structure Active, MACD Bullish Crossover.
MBB leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.06%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price 0%, AIQ +6 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1PULS closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 20 points behind, the largest single contributor to MBB's edge.
- 2PULS's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3MBB's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Performance
PULS leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | MBB | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -1% | -0.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -2.9% | -0.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -4.8% | -0.2% |
| Year to date | -5% | 0% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -5.6% | -0.3% |
Technicals
PULS has the stronger structure| Metric | MBB | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 64.7 | 86.7 |
| ADX (14) | 34.6 | 14.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | -1% | 0% |
| Price vs 200-day | -3.7% | -0.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 7% | 1.2% |
Risk
MBB is the more resilient| Metric | MBB | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.16 | 0 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.9 | -3.33 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.68 | -2.59 |
| Max drawdown | -8.1% | -0.7% |
| Current drawdown | -6.6% | -0.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 5.1% | 1.3% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.5% | -0.1% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
What is the difference between MBB and PULS?
MBB holds 11,209 positions to PULS's 1,033, and 0% of their weight is in the same securities.
How much do MBB and PULS overlap?
MBB and PULS share 0% of their weighted exposure across 0 common holdings. 11,154 holdings are unique to MBB, and 741 holdings are unique to PULS. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
Which ETF is more diversified, MBB or PULS?
MBB holds more positions: 11,209 versus 1,033 for PULS.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
MBB has the lower expense ratio, 0.04% a year against 0.15% for PULS.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
Their trailing 12-month distribution yields are similar: 4.5% for MBB and 4.38% for PULS.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
MBB has been more volatile over the past year, at 5.1% annualized against 1.3% for PULS.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
PULS fell less from peak to trough over the past five years: -0.8% against -16.8% for MBB.
Compare MBB and PULS with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.