BFFAX vs. VTC
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds The Bond Fund of America Class F-3 (BFFAX) and Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC).
BFFAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on May 28, 1974. VTC is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index. It was launched on Nov 7, 2017.
Performance
BFFAX vs. VTC - Performance Comparison
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BFFAX vs. VTC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BFFAX American Funds The Bond Fund of America Class F-3 | -0.53% | 7.54% | 1.54% | 4.39% | -13.00% | -0.97% | 11.12% | 8.17% | 0.22% | -0.07% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | -0.20% | 7.58% | 2.15% | 8.58% | -15.68% | -1.41% | 9.30% | 14.60% | -2.55% | 0.84% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BFFAX achieves a -0.53% return, which is significantly lower than VTC's -0.20% return.
BFFAX
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- -1.74%
- YTD
- -0.53%
- 6M
- 0.32%
- 1Y
- 3.72%
- 3Y*
- 3.29%
- 5Y*
- 0.06%
- 10Y*
- —
VTC
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- -1.43%
- YTD
- -0.20%
- 6M
- 0.11%
- 1Y
- 4.76%
- 3Y*
- 4.67%
- 5Y*
- 0.64%
- 10Y*
- —
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BFFAX vs. VTC - Expense Ratio Comparison
BFFAX has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VTC's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
BFFAX vs. VTC — Risk / Return Rank
BFFAX
VTC
BFFAX vs. VTC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds The Bond Fund of America Class F-3 (BFFAX) and Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC). 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.
| BFFAX | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.92 | 0.88 | +0.04 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.32 | 1.23 | +0.09 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.17 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.56 | 1.75 | -0.19 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.48 | 5.23 | -0.76 |
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
| BFFAX | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.92 | 0.88 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | 0.09 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.31 | +0.12 |
Correlation
The correlation between BFFAX and VTC is 0.84, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
BFFAX vs. VTC - Dividend Comparison
BFFAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.12%, less than VTC's 4.94% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BFFAX American Funds The Bond Fund of America Class F-3 | 4.12% | 4.48% | 4.67% | 3.28% | 2.46% | 1.98% | 5.38% | 3.80% | 2.72% | 2.01% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 4.94% | 4.76% | 4.50% | 3.80% | 3.13% | 2.36% | 2.69% | 3.34% | 3.53% | 0.55% |
Drawdowns
BFFAX vs. VTC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BFFAX drawdown since its inception was -17.74%, smaller than the maximum VTC drawdown of -22.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BFFAX and VTC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BFFAX | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -17.74% | -22.05% | +4.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.94% | -2.89% | -0.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.74% | -22.05% | +4.31% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.32% | -1.77% | -0.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.74% | -5.94% | +1.20% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.02% | 0.96% | +0.06% |
Volatility
BFFAX vs. VTC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds The Bond Fund of America Class F-3 (BFFAX) is 1.49%, while Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) has a volatility of 2.19%. This indicates that BFFAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BFFAX | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.49% | 2.19% | -0.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.49% | 3.02% | -0.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.40% | 5.44% | -1.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.92% | 7.08% | -1.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.00% | 7.74% | -2.74% |