Morningstar: The Best Short-Term and Ultrashort Bond Funds

Key Takeaways

---

Baird's Short-Term Bond Fund and Baird's Ultra Short Bond Fund were included on Morningstar's list of 2026 best short-term and ultrashort bond fonds, a distinction reserved for funds with a Morningstar Medalist Rating of Gold and 100% analyst coverage. Ultrashort and short-term bond funds are attractive to investors who may be worried about volatility in interest rate movements and typically have durations of less than 1 year and 1 to 3.5 years, respectively. Read the article and discover how Baird is helping investors navigate today's market environment with discipline, consistency and long-term results.

Read the Article on Morningstar.com

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of each fund carefully before investing. This and other information is found in the prospectus and summary prospectus. For a prospectus or summary prospectus, contact Baird directly at 866-442-2473. Please read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.  

Performance data represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of the investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance data may be lower or higher than the data quoted. To obtain the fund’s performance to the most recent month end, SEC 30-day yield information, any sales charges, maximum sales charges, loads, fees, total annual operating expense ratio, gross of any fee waivers or expense reimbursements as stated in the fee table, contact Baird directly at 866-442-2473.

Fixed income is generally considered to be a more conservative investment than stocks, but bonds and other fixed income investments still carry a variety of risk such as interest rate risk, regulatory risk, credit risk, inflation risk, call risk, default risk, political risk, tax policy risk and liquidity risk. In a rising interest rate environment, the value of fixed-income securities generally decline and conversely, in a falling interest rate environment, the value of fixed income securities generally increase.  

Analyst Rating is the summary expression of Morningstar's forward-looking analysis of a fund. Morningstar analysts assign the ratings on a five-tier scale with three positive ratings of Gold, Silver, and Bronze, a Neutral rating, and a Negative rating. The Analyst Rating is based on the analyst's conviction in the fund's ability to outperform its peer group and/or relevant benchmark on a risk-adjusted basis over the long term. If a fund receives a positive rating of Gold, Silver, or Bronze, it means Morningstar analysts think highly of the fund and expect it to outperform over a full market cycle of at least five years. The Analyst Rating is not a market call, and it is not meant to replace investors' due-diligence process. It cannot assess whether a fund is the right fit for a particular portfolio and risk tolerance. Morningstar evaluates funds based on five key pillars--Process, Performance, People, Parent, and Price. Analysts assign a rating of Positive, Neutral, or Negative to each pillar. Analyst Rating Scale - Gold: Best-of-breed fund that distinguishes itself across the five pillars and has garnered the analysts' highest level of conviction. Silver: Fund with advantages that outweigh the disadvantages across the five pillars and with sufficient level of analyst conviction to warrant a positive rating. Bronze: Fund with notable advantages across several, but perhaps not all, of the five pillars. Analyst Ratings are reevaluated at least every 14 months.