- ISIN
- US9219377028
- CUSIP
- 921937702
- Issuer
- Vanguard
- Inception Date
- Nov 12, 2001
- Category
- Total Bond Market
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Bond
- Assets Under Management
- $70B
Share Price Chart
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Performance
VBIRX Performance Chart
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIRX) is up 0.0% since the beginning of the year. VBIRX is currently trading at $10 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of VBIRX shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,083.
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Returns By Period
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIRX) has returned 0.01% so far this year and 3.33% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, VBIRX has returned 1.88% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.67% annually.
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares
- 1D
- -0.29%
- 1M
- 0.34%
- YTD
- 0.01%
- 6M
- 0.25%
- 1Y
- 3.33%
- 3Y*
- 4.46%
- 5Y*
- 1.60%
- 10Y*
- 1.88%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- 1.08%
- 1M
- 2.00%
- YTD
- 9.57%
- 6M
- 10.71%
- 1Y
- 25.41%
- 3Y*
- 19.37%
- 5Y*
- 12.48%
- 10Y*
- 13.67%
VBIRX Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Nov 12, 2001, VBIRX's average daily return is +0.01%, while the average monthly return is +0.21%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 27.5 years.
Historically, 65% of months were positive and 35% were negative. The best month was Nov 2008 with a return of +2.1%, while the worst month was Mar 2022 at -1.9%. The longest winning streak lasted 11 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 9 months.
On a daily basis, VBIRX closed higher 35% of trading days. The best single day was Nov 11, 2003 with a return of +4.1%, while the worst single day was Nov 12, 2003 at -3.8%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0.14% | 0.79% | -0.82% | 0.23% | 0.05% | -0.39% | 0.01% | ||||||
| 2025 | 0.51% | 0.98% | 0.52% | 0.90% | -0.26% | 0.81% | -0.06% | 1.11% | 0.23% | 0.34% | 0.62% | 0.24% | 6.09% |
| 2024 | 0.36% | -0.65% | 0.47% | -0.83% | 0.99% | 0.68% | 1.50% | 0.98% | 0.97% | -1.07% | 0.40% | -0.08% | 3.75% |
| 2023 | 1.28% | -1.25% | 1.91% | 0.48% | -0.51% | -0.61% | 0.31% | 0.22% | -0.38% | 0.04% | 1.77% | 1.56% | 4.87% |
| 2022 | -1.04% | -0.59% | -1.90% | -0.98% | 0.70% | -0.87% | 1.02% | -1.35% | -1.77% | -0.26% | 1.38% | -0.04% | -5.63% |
| 2021 | -0.09% | -0.46% | -0.26% | 0.29% | 0.19% | -0.19% | 0.37% | -0.09% | -0.29% | -0.47% | -0.10% | -0.11% | -1.20% |
Benchmark Metrics
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares has an annualized alpha of 2.89%, beta of -0.03, and R2 of 0.04 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since November 12, 2001.
- This fund captured 5.79% of S&P 500 Index gains and tended to rise during its downturns (downside capture of -6.87%) - a profile typical of hedging or uncorrelated assets.
- Beta of -0.03 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.04 this fund is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this fund's risk.
- R2 of 0.04 means this fund moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 2.89%
- Beta
- -0.03
- R²
- 0.04
- Upside Capture
- 5.79%
- Downside Capture
- -6.87%
Expense Ratio
VBIRX has an expense ratio of 0.07%, which is considered low.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
VBIRX ranks 37 for risk / return — below 37% of mutual funds on our site. The returns aren't fully compensating for the risk involved. This isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but factor it into your decision — especially if you're risk-averse.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIRX) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VBIRX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.37 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.17 | 2.81 | -0.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.69 | 12.55 | -5.86 |
Dividends
Dividend History
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares provided a 4.00% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $0.41 per share. The fund has been increasing its distributions for 4 consecutive years.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $0.41 | $0.40 | $0.34 | $0.24 | $0.14 | $0.13 | $0.19 | $0.24 | $0.21 | $0.17 | $0.16 | $0.15 |
Dividend yield | 4.00% | 3.83% | 3.37% | 2.41% | 1.46% | 1.22% | 1.77% | 2.24% | 2.03% | 1.66% | 1.50% | 1.41% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.04 | $0.03 | $0.04 | $0.00 | $0.17 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.40 |
| 2024 | $0.03 | $0.02 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.03 | $0.34 |
| 2023 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.02 | $0.03 | $0.24 |
| 2022 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.02 | $0.14 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.04 | $0.13 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares was 8.69%, occurring on Oct 20, 2022. Recovery took 445 trading sessions.
The current Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares drawdown is 0.92%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bear market2022 | -8.69%Oct 2022 | 1y 9mo | 1y 9mo | 3y 6moJan 2021 - Jul 2024 |
2003 pullback2003 | -3.84%Nov 2003 | 0s | 1y 6mo | 1y 6moNov 2003 - Jun 2005 |
Dot-com crash2000–2002 | -2.54%Mar 2002 | 4mo 12d | 2mo 21d | 7mo 3dNov 2001 - Jun 2002 |
Financial crisis2007–2009 | -2.44%Oct 2008 | 27d | 1mo 16d | 2mo 13dSep 2008 - Nov 2008 |
Financial crisis2007–2009 | -2.30%Jun 2008 | 3mo 11d | 2mo 22d | 6mo 3dMar 2008 - Sep 2008 |
Drawdown Indicators
| VBIRX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.69% | -56.78% | +48.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.54% | -9.10% | +7.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.55% | -18.90% | +17.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -8.64% | -25.43% | +16.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -8.69% | -33.92% | +25.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.92% | -1.43% | +0.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.99% | -10.71% | +9.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.50% | 2.03% | -1.53% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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