ASBAX vs. VISTX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America (ASBAX) and Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX).
ASBAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Oct 2, 2006. VISTX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jun 19, 2015.
Performance
ASBAX vs. VISTX - Performance Comparison
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ASBAX vs. VISTX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASBAX American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America | -0.26% | 5.05% | 4.31% | 3.60% | -4.16% | -0.88% | 3.53% | 2.81% | 1.10% | 0.91% |
VISTX Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund | 0.25% | 5.68% | 5.56% | 4.98% | -3.73% | -0.04% | 3.92% | 4.20% | 1.83% | 1.42% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ASBAX achieves a -0.26% return, which is significantly lower than VISTX's 0.25% return. Over the past 10 years, ASBAX has underperformed VISTX with an annualized return of 1.57%, while VISTX has yielded a comparatively higher 2.43% annualized return.
ASBAX
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -0.93%
- YTD
- -0.26%
- 6M
- 0.79%
- 1Y
- 3.11%
- 3Y*
- 3.72%
- 5Y*
- 1.51%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
VISTX
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- -0.64%
- YTD
- 0.25%
- 6M
- 1.45%
- 1Y
- 4.26%
- 3Y*
- 4.94%
- 5Y*
- 2.45%
- 10Y*
- 2.43%
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ASBAX vs. VISTX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ASBAX has a 0.66% expense ratio, which is higher than VISTX's 0.02% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ASBAX vs. VISTX — Risk / Return Rank
ASBAX
VISTX
ASBAX vs. VISTX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America (ASBAX) and Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ASBAX | VISTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.81 | 3.01 | -1.20 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.19 | 4.73 | -1.54 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.68 | -0.25 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.95 | 5.24 | -2.29 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.57 | 21.26 | -9.69 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ASBAX | VISTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.81 | 3.01 | -1.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.69 | 1.33 | -0.64 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.87 | 1.66 | -0.79 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.96 | 1.70 | -0.74 |
Correlation
The correlation between ASBAX and VISTX is 0.70, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
ASBAX vs. VISTX - Dividend Comparison
ASBAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.50%, less than VISTX's 4.11% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASBAX American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America | 3.50% | 3.87% | 3.99% | 2.88% | 1.02% | 0.42% | 2.08% | 1.66% | 1.70% | 1.21% | 0.83% | 1.21% |
VISTX Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund | 4.11% | 4.53% | 5.03% | 3.91% | 1.76% | 1.85% | 2.33% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 1.78% | 1.51% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
ASBAX vs. VISTX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ASBAX drawdown since its inception was -6.29%, which is greater than VISTX's maximum drawdown of -5.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASBAX and VISTX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ASBAX | VISTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.29% | -5.64% | -0.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.24% | -0.86% | -0.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -6.23% | -5.64% | -0.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.29% | -5.64% | -0.65% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.93% | -0.64% | -0.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.68% | -0.69% | +0.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.32% | 0.21% | +0.11% |
Volatility
ASBAX vs. VISTX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America (ASBAX) has a higher volatility of 0.60% compared to Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX) at 0.47%. This indicates that ASBAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VISTX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ASBAX | VISTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.60% | 0.47% | +0.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.22% | 0.85% | +0.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.93% | 1.45% | +0.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.20% | 1.85% | +0.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.81% | 1.47% | +0.34% |