BCITX vs. VBTLX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Century California Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Bond Fund (BCITX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX).
BCITX is managed by American Century. It was launched on Nov 8, 1983. VBTLX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 12, 2001.
Performance
BCITX vs. VBTLX - Performance Comparison
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BCITX vs. VBTLX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BCITX American Century California Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Bond Fund | -0.65% | 4.74% | 2.17% | 4.75% | -7.36% | 1.11% | 3.71% | 6.62% | 0.71% | 4.63% |
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | -0.49% | 7.17% | 1.26% | 5.74% | -13.16% | -1.81% | 7.72% | 8.73% | -0.25% | 3.56% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BCITX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly lower than VBTLX's -0.49% return. Over the past 10 years, BCITX has outperformed VBTLX with an annualized return of 1.78%, while VBTLX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.60% annualized return.
BCITX
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -2.53%
- YTD
- -0.65%
- 6M
- 0.92%
- 1Y
- 4.23%
- 3Y*
- 2.96%
- 5Y*
- 0.92%
- 10Y*
- 1.78%
VBTLX
- 1D
- 0.52%
- 1M
- -2.23%
- YTD
- -0.49%
- 6M
- 0.50%
- 1Y
- 3.77%
- 3Y*
- 3.44%
- 5Y*
- 0.23%
- 10Y*
- 1.60%
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BCITX vs. VBTLX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BCITX has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than VBTLX's 0.05% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BCITX vs. VBTLX — Risk / Return Rank
BCITX
VBTLX
BCITX vs. VBTLX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Century California Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Bond Fund (BCITX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX). 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.
| BCITX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.28 | 1.00 | +0.28 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.75 | 1.44 | +0.31 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.18 | +0.19 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.35 | 1.78 | -0.43 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.27 | 5.08 | +0.19 |
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
| BCITX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.28 | 1.00 | +0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 | 0.04 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 | 0.32 | +0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.15 | 0.76 | +0.40 |
Correlation
The correlation between BCITX and VBTLX is 0.57, 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
BCITX vs. VBTLX - Dividend Comparison
BCITX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.31%, less than VBTLX's 3.61% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BCITX American Century California Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Bond Fund | 3.31% | 3.49% | 3.40% | 2.70% | 1.67% | 1.93% | 2.22% | 2.77% | 2.65% | 2.48% | 2.42% | 2.39% |
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.61% | 3.87% | 3.69% | 3.10% | 2.59% | 1.96% | 2.39% | 2.74% | 2.57% | 2.56% | 2.53% | 2.82% |
Drawdowns
BCITX vs. VBTLX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BCITX drawdown since its inception was -12.17%, smaller than the maximum VBTLX drawdown of -18.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BCITX and VBTLX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BCITX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.17% | -18.81% | +6.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.67% | -2.73% | -0.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -11.40% | -18.14% | +6.74% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -11.40% | -18.81% | +7.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.53% | -3.06% | +0.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.92% | -2.67% | +0.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.94% | 0.96% | -0.02% |
Volatility
BCITX vs. VBTLX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Century California Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Bond Fund (BCITX) is 0.79%, while Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) has a volatility of 1.55%. This indicates that BCITX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBTLX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BCITX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.79% | 1.55% | -0.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.42% | 2.59% | -1.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.68% | 4.37% | -0.69% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.96% | 5.98% | -3.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.35% | 4.97% | -1.62% |