ASTEX vs. VGIT
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT).
ASTEX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 6, 2009. VGIT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 3-10 Year Government Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009.
Performance
ASTEX vs. VGIT - Performance Comparison
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ASTEX vs. VGIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASTEX American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund | 0.02% | 5.34% | 2.46% | 2.91% | -3.25% | -0.29% | 2.91% | 3.26% | 0.94% | 1.63% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.03% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ASTEX achieves a 0.02% return, which is significantly higher than VGIT's -0.03% return. Over the past 10 years, ASTEX has outperformed VGIT with an annualized return of 1.50%, while VGIT has yielded a comparatively lower 1.32% annualized return.
ASTEX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -1.28%
- YTD
- 0.02%
- 6M
- 0.65%
- 1Y
- 3.62%
- 3Y*
- 3.16%
- 5Y*
- 1.42%
- 10Y*
- 1.50%
VGIT
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -1.66%
- YTD
- -0.03%
- 6M
- 1.07%
- 1Y
- 4.13%
- 3Y*
- 3.29%
- 5Y*
- 0.32%
- 10Y*
- 1.32%
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ASTEX vs. VGIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
ASTEX has a 0.53% expense ratio, which is higher than VGIT's 0.04% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ASTEX vs. VGIT — Risk / Return Rank
ASTEX
VGIT
ASTEX vs. VGIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT). 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.
| ASTEX | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.00 | 1.09 | +0.91 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.00 | 1.63 | +1.36 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.19 | +0.49 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.27 | 1.78 | +0.49 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.83 | 5.53 | +4.30 |
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
| ASTEX | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.00 | 1.09 | +0.91 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 | 0.06 | +0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.92 | 0.29 | +0.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.07 | 0.50 | +0.57 |
Correlation
The correlation between ASTEX and VGIT is 0.34, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
ASTEX vs. VGIT - Dividend Comparison
ASTEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, less than VGIT's 3.81% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASTEX American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund | 2.76% | 3.66% | 2.53% | 1.73% | 0.78% | 0.68% | 1.31% | 1.62% | 1.44% | 1.32% | 0.97% | 1.03% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.81% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
Drawdowns
ASTEX vs. VGIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ASTEX drawdown since its inception was -5.73%, smaller than the maximum VGIT drawdown of -16.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASTEX and VGIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ASTEX | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.73% | -16.05% | +10.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.90% | -2.42% | +0.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.62% | -15.02% | +9.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.73% | -16.05% | +10.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.28% | -1.97% | +0.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.70% | -3.54% | +2.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.44% | 0.78% | -0.34% |
Volatility
ASTEX vs. VGIT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) is 0.49%, while Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) has a volatility of 1.33%. This indicates that ASTEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VGIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ASTEX | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.49% | 1.33% | -0.84% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.98% | 2.28% | -1.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.11% | 3.81% | -1.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.75% | 5.36% | -3.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.63% | 4.50% | -2.87% |