Short Term Bond Strategy

TotalReturn:

'Total return is the amount of value an investor earns from a security over a specific period, typically one year, when all distributions are reinvested. Total return is expressed as a percentage of the amount invested. For example, a total return of 20% means the security increased by 20% of its original value due to a price increase, distribution of dividends (if a stock), coupons (if a bond) or capital gains (if a fund). Total return is a strong measure of an investment’s overall performance.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (10.2%) in the period of the last 5 years, the total return of 23.1% of Short Term Bond Strategy is higher, thus better.
• Looking at total return, or increase in value in of 16.4% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus better in comparison to SHY (12.4%).

CAGR:

'The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a useful measure of growth over multiple time periods. It can be thought of as the growth rate that gets you from the initial investment value to the ending investment value if you assume that the investment has been compounding over the time period.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (2%) in the period of the last 5 years, the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3% of Short Term Bond Strategy is higher, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the annual return (CAGR) is 5.2%, which is larger, thus better than the value of 4% from the benchmark.

Volatility:

'Volatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index. Volatility can either be measured by using the standard deviation or variance between returns from that same security or market index. Commonly, the higher the volatility, the riskier the security. In the securities markets, volatility is often associated with big swings in either direction. For example, when the stock market rises and falls more than one percent over a sustained period of time, it is called a 'volatile' market.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (2%) in the period of the last 5 years, the volatility of 0.9% of Short Term Bond Strategy is lower, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the historical 30 days volatility is 0.5%, which is lower, thus better than the value of 1.6% from the benchmark.

DownVol:

'Risk measures typically quantify the downside risk, whereas the standard deviation (an example of a deviation risk measure) measures both the upside and downside risk. Specifically, downside risk in our definition is the semi-deviation, that is the standard deviation of all negative returns.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (1.3%) in the period of the last 5 years, the downside volatility of 0.6% of Short Term Bond Strategy is lower, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the downside risk is 0.2%, which is smaller, thus better than the value of 1% from the benchmark.

Sharpe:

'The Sharpe ratio is the measure of risk-adjusted return of a financial portfolio. Sharpe ratio is a measure of excess portfolio return over the risk-free rate relative to its standard deviation. Normally, the 90-day Treasury bill rate is taken as the proxy for risk-free rate. A portfolio with a higher Sharpe ratio is considered superior relative to its peers. The measure was named after William F Sharpe, a Nobel laureate and professor of finance, emeritus at Stanford University.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (-0.26) in the period of the last 5 years, the ratio of return and volatility (Sharpe) of 1.91 of Short Term Bond Strategy is larger, thus better.
• Looking at ratio of return and volatility (Sharpe) in of 5.25 in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively larger, thus better in comparison to SHY (0.91).

Sortino:

'The Sortino ratio measures the risk-adjusted return of an investment asset, portfolio, or strategy. It is a modification of the Sharpe ratio but penalizes only those returns falling below a user-specified target or required rate of return, while the Sharpe ratio penalizes both upside and downside volatility equally. Though both ratios measure an investment's risk-adjusted return, they do so in significantly different ways that will frequently lead to differing conclusions as to the true nature of the investment's return-generating efficiency. The Sortino ratio is used as a way to compare the risk-adjusted performance of programs with differing risk and return profiles. In general, risk-adjusted returns seek to normalize the risk across programs and then see which has the higher return unit per risk.'

• The excess return divided by the downside deviation over 5 years of Short Term Bond Strategy is 3.17, which is higher, thus better compared to the benchmark SHY (-0.39) in the same period.
• Compared with SHY (1.48) in the period of the last 3 years, the downside risk / excess return profile of 13 is larger, thus better.

Ulcer:

'Ulcer Index is a method for measuring investment risk that addresses the real concerns of investors, unlike the widely used standard deviation of return. UI is a measure of the depth and duration of drawdowns in prices from earlier highs. Using Ulcer Index instead of standard deviation can lead to very different conclusions about investment risk and risk-adjusted return, especially when evaluating strategies that seek to avoid major declines in portfolio value (market timing, dynamic asset allocation, hedge funds, etc.). The Ulcer Index was originally developed in 1987. Since then, it has been widely recognized and adopted by the investment community. According to Nelson Freeburg, editor of Formula Research, Ulcer Index is “perhaps the most fully realized statistical portrait of risk there is.'

• The Ulcer Ratio over 5 years of Short Term Bond Strategy is 0.35 , which is lower, thus better compared to the benchmark SHY (2.1 ) in the same period.
• Looking at Ulcer Ratio in of 0.03 in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus better in comparison to SHY (0.32 ).

MaxDD:

'Maximum drawdown measures the loss in any losing period during a fund’s investment record. It is defined as the percent retrenchment from a fund’s peak value to the fund’s valley value. The drawdown is in effect from the time the fund’s retrenchment begins until a new fund high is reached. The maximum drawdown encompasses both the period from the fund’s peak to the fund’s valley (length), and the time from the fund’s valley to a new fund high (recovery). It measures the largest percentage drawdown that has occurred in any fund’s data record.'

• Compared with the benchmark SHY (-5.4 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum DrawDown of -2 days of Short Term Bond Strategy is higher, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the maximum reduction from previous high is -0.2 days, which is higher, thus better than the value of -1 days from the benchmark.

MaxDuration:

'The Maximum Drawdown Duration is an extension of the Maximum Drawdown. However, this metric does not explain the drawdown in dollars or percentages, rather in days, weeks, or months. It is the length of time the account was in the Max Drawdown. A Max Drawdown measures a retrenchment from when an equity curve reaches a new high. It’s the maximum an account lost during that retrenchment. This method is applied because a valley can’t be measured until a new high occurs. Once the new high is reached, the percentage change from the old high to the bottom of the largest trough is recorded.'

• Looking at the maximum days under water of 265 days in the last 5 years of Short Term Bond Strategy, we see it is relatively smaller, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SHY (546 days)
• Compared with SHY (93 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum time in days below previous high water mark of 17 days is lower, thus better.

AveDuration:

'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Avg Drawdown Duration is the average amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs), or in other terms the average of time under water of all drawdowns. So in contrast to the Maximum duration it does not measure only one drawdown event but calculates the average of all.'

• The average time in days below previous high water mark over 5 years of Short Term Bond Strategy is 66 days, which is smaller, thus better compared to the benchmark SHY (145 days) in the same period.
• Compared with SHY (22 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the average days below previous high of 3 days is smaller, thus better.