MINT vs PULS: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
MINT and PULS are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. MINT is PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund, while PULS is PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF. MINT is more concentrated at the top, based on top-10 holdings weight. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has PULS ahead on AIQ Score, 55 versus 53.
What is the main difference between MINT and PULS?
MINT and PULS have little in common: 4% of their weight is in the same securities.
| Metric | MINT | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.36% | 0.15% |
| Holdings | 1,017 | 1,033 |
| Top-10 concentration | 12.5% | 6.9% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 4.09% | 4.38% |
| Average volume | 1,768,362 | 2,924,131 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | +0.1% | -0.3% |
| YTD return | +0.2% | 0% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | +3.8% | +4.4% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -0.6% | -0.7% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -2.3% | -0.8% |
| Beta | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Sharpe ratio | -3.39 | -3.33 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.68 | -2.59 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 53/100 | 55/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Momentum | 41/100 | 58/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 66/100 | 67/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund vs PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF
PULS leads
PULS leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from MINT.
Fragile: 0 of 4 evidence groups support PULS, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund
PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PULS over MINT, 55 versus 53 as of Oct 21, 2026. PULS's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum, while MINT holds the stronger value profile. PULS also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 0 of 4 covered evidence groups favor PULS today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. PULS lead: Reversed — MINT led by 3 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; PULS now leads by 2.
Compare PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund and PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
MINT 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 | MINT | PULS | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.36% | 0.15% | PULS |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 1,017 | 1,033 | Similar |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 12.5% | 6.9% | PULS |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 4.09% | 4.38% | PULS |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -2.3% | -0.8% | Similar |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 1.1% | 1.3% | Similar |
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 MINT 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.
- Momentum41 vs 58PULS +17
- Value45 vs 36MINT +9
- Quality63 vs 65Even
- Risk Resilience66 vs 67Even
0 of 4 evidence groups favor PULS. PULS’s edge is concentrated in momentum; MINT keeps a meaningful value edge.
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 +4
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
The lead changed hands: PULS moved ahead of MINT in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MINT and PULS both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PULS (PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum.
MINT (PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund): the counter-case, on value, valuation.
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 | MINT | PULS | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.36% | 0.15% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 1,017 | 1,033 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 1,768,362 | 2,924,131 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 1.1% | 1.3% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -0.6% | -0.7% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | -3.39 | -3.33 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.00 | 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
MINT and PULS share 4.1% of their weighted exposure across 60 common holdings.
952 holdings are unique to MINT, and 681 holdings are unique to PULS. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
MINT is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 12.53% of the fund, against 6.88% for PULS (1,017 holdings vs 1,033). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
Largest shared positions
| Holding | MINT | PULS | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEMPRA SR UNSECURED 01/28 VAR 4.32% 01/07/2028 | 0.46% | 0.36% | 0.36% |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO | 0.22% | 0.26% | 0.22% |
| NTT FINANCE CORP SR UNSECURED 144A 07/27 4.567 4.57% 07/16/2027 | 0.19% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| AMERICAN HONDA FINANCE SR UNSECURED 03/27 VAR 4.38% 03/08/2027 | 0.3% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| M+T BANK AUTO RECEIVABLES TRUS MTBAT 2026 1A A2 144A 4.33% 07/16 | 0.3% | 0.17% | 0.17% |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO | 0.16% | 0.18% | 0.16% |
| UBS AG/STAMFORD CT | 0.16% | 0.24% | 0.16% |
| MORGAN STANLEY BANK NA SR UNSECURED 10/27 VAR 4.33% 10/15/2027 | 0.21% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
Shared weight is the lower of the two positions — the portion of capital both funds genuinely have in the same security.
What MINT adds that PULS doesn’t
| Holding | MINT | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| US TREASURY N/B 06/31 4.125 4.13% 06/30/2031 | 5.76% | Not held |
| FANNIE MAE FNR 2025 18 FM 4.54% 09/25/2054 | 1% | Not held |
| FREDDIE MAC FHR 5513 MF 4.58% 11/25/2054 | 0.88% | Not held |
| SYNCHRONY BANK SR UNSECURED 08/27 5.625 5.63% 08/23/2027 | 0.79% | Not held |
| AT+T INC SR UNSECURED 08/28 VAR 4.30% 08/10/2028 | 0.74% | Not held |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC SR UNSECURED 06/28 VAR 4.76% 06/09/2028 | 0.73% | Not held |
What PULS adds that MINT doesn’t
| Holding | PULS | MINT |
|---|---|---|
| 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
0 of 4 covered evidence groups favor PULS. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 53 vs 55 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | MINT | Value 45 vs 36 |
| Technicals | Even | Price vs 50-day 0% vs 0%; vs 200-day 0% vs -0.1% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 66 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 MINT 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 narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 0 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- 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)
- Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (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 PULS.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20PULS lead: Reversed — MINT led by 3 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; PULS now leads by 2.
- Today
- PULS +2
- 53 vs 55
- 7 sessions ago
- MINT +2
- 50 vs 48
- 30 sessions ago
- MINT +3
- 57 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- MINT +4
- 56 vs 52
The lead changed hands 8 times in this window, most recently on Oct 20 when PULS moved ahead of MINT.
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.
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only MINT
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (0.01%)
2 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only PULS
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (0.09%)
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 5 more signals that do not separate them: ATR Contraction - Coiling, EMA Ribbon Compression, 52-Week High Proximity, 52-Week Low Proximity, MACD Bullish Crossover.
PULS 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 +0.04%, 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.
- 1MINT closes the Momentum gap — currently 17 points behind, the largest single contributor to PULS's edge.
- 2MINT's 52-Week Low Proximity resolves — a bearish risk rule currently active against it.
- 3PULS's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 4 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
MINT leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | MINT | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -0.1% | -0.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -0.1% | -0.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 0% | -0.2% |
| Year to date | 0.2% | 0% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 0.1% | -0.3% |
Technicals
Split| Metric | MINT | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 49.2 | 86.7 |
| ADX (14) | 18.1 | 14.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | 0% | 0% |
| Price vs 200-day | 0% | -0.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 1.2% | 1.2% |
Risk
Split| Metric | MINT | PULS |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0 | 0 |
| Sharpe ratio | -3.39 | -3.33 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.68 | -2.59 |
| Max drawdown | -0.6% | -0.7% |
| Current drawdown | -0.3% | -0.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.1% | -0.1% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
What is the difference between MINT and PULS?
MINT and PULS have little in common: 4% of their weight is in the same securities.
How much do MINT and PULS overlap?
MINT and PULS share 4.1% of their weighted exposure across 60 common holdings. 952 holdings are unique to MINT, and 681 holdings are unique to PULS. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
Which ETF is more diversified, MINT or PULS?
They hold a similar number of positions: 1,017 for MINT and 1,033 for PULS.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
PULS has the lower expense ratio, 0.15% a year against 0.36% for MINT.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
PULS, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 4.38% against 4.09% for MINT.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
Their volatility over the past year is similar: 1.1% annualized for MINT and 1.3% for PULS.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
Their worst peak-to-trough falls over the past five years are similar: -2.3% for MINT and -0.8% for PULS.
Compare MINT 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.