The takeaway
PGIM Ultra Short Bond shows a slight seasonal lean over 8 years of data — strongest in April (+0.4%) and softest in March (−0.3%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 100% of years, averaging +0.3%, roughly 1.8 pts behind the S&P 500.
The full picture
PGIM Ultra Short Bond's most dependable month has been April, higher in 8 of 8 years; March has been its least reliable, up just 71% of the time.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| 2018 | — | — | — |
Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in January (+0.5 pts); it has trailed the market most in November (−2.0 pts).
“vs S&P” is PGIM Ultra Short Bond’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating PGIM Ultra Short Bond’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, April has closed higher 100% of the time versus 100% across the last 8 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) April return and how often it rose — the last 5 years versus the last 8(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 8-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
This is a fund you can almost set a calendar by, and April is the anchor — it has closed higher in all 8 Aprils, the steadiest beat on its year.
The strength looks broad-based rather than freakish: its average (+0.4%) and median (+0.2%) sit close together, so no single blow-out year is flattering the figure. Few peers keep such company in April — the typical stock clears it just 55% of the time.
The lift is near-universal — strength runs through almost every month of the year, not one window. At the other end of the calendar, March is the year's quietest corner, essentially flat on average, and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in November, July, and March.
April has now closed higher 8 years running. Reassuringly, the tendency has held its shape: the recent five years still track the years behind them.
For a fund this dependable in April, the sharper question is the rest of the year — outside its strong stretch, the calendar gives far less to lean on. With a short 8-year record, the signal is best held loosely.
Short answers on the fund's best month (April), its worst (March), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Only mildly. The fund's months are fairly even — April is the firmest (+0.4%) and March the softest (−0.3%), a narrow spread that points to weak seasonality rather than a strong calendar effect.
April has been the strongest, averaging +0.4% and closing higher in all 8 years on record since 2018.
It's the weakest, averaging −0.3% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade