FTSM vs PULS: Differences, Returns & Fees
FTSM's duration was 0.7 years on Jul 31, 2026 and PULS's 0.7 on May 29, 2026; PULS charges 0.15% to FTSM's 0.29%. Net assets: $6.7bn on Oct 20, 2026 for First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF, and $19.8bn on Oct 19, 2026 for PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF.
PULS costs 0.14 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; PULS is 2.9 times larger.
| FTSM | PULS | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.29% | 0.15% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 19, 2026 | $6.7bn | $19.8bn |
| Total return, 1 year | +3.4% | +4.1% |
| What it tracks | No index, actively managed | No index, actively managed |
| Holdings in common | report dates differ | |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 29, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
FTSM and PULS are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?
- Cost. FTSM charges 0.29% of assets a year and PULS 0.15%, a gap of 0.14 points.
- What each follows (similar). Both follow No index, actively managed.
- One-year total return (similar). Over 1 year to Oct 20, 2026 FTSM returned +3.4% and PULS +4.1% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 0.7 points.
Data as of Oct 20, 2026. The differences are picked by a fixed rule, in a fixed order; the PDF prints it. Page 2 has the returns, overlap, risks and sources.
Take this comparison to a client
The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.
Not advice. The brief uses the figures on this page, with the data date and a report id. Saved comparisons are listed on your saved page; privacy.
On the same fields
FTSM and PULS on the fields both publish, as of Oct 20, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
About FTSM
FTSM is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +3.4% with distributions reinvested, against −1.9% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.29% a year.
About PULS
PULS is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +4.1% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, FTSM or PULS?
- In the year to Oct 20, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FTSM returned +3.4% and PULS +4.1%.
- Which is cheaper, FTSM or PULS?
- PULS is cheaper, by 0.14 percentage points a year. That is about $14 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown
ETFIQ, FTSM against PULS, data as of Oct 20, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ftsm-vs-puls
ETFIQ. (Oct 20, 2026). FTSM against PULS. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ftsm-vs-puls
[FTSM against PULS (ETFIQ, Oct 20, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ftsm-vs-puls)
Free to use with attribution for figures ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.