BLV vs. VBLAX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX).
BLV is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007. VBLAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 7, 2019.
Performance
BLV vs. VBLAX - Performance Comparison
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BLV vs. VBLAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | -0.30% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 16.77% |
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | -0.96% | 6.57% | -4.14% | 7.55% | -27.22% | -3.36% | 15.75% | 16.45% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BLV achieves a -0.30% return, which is significantly higher than VBLAX's -0.96% return.
BLV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -2.79%
- YTD
- -0.30%
- 6M
- -0.97%
- 1Y
- 1.71%
- 3Y*
- 1.02%
- 5Y*
- -3.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.20%
VBLAX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -3.26%
- YTD
- -0.96%
- 6M
- -1.49%
- 1Y
- 1.14%
- 3Y*
- 0.80%
- 5Y*
- -3.19%
- 10Y*
- —
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BLV vs. VBLAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BLV has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VBLAX's 0.07% expense ratio. Despite the difference, 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
BLV vs. VBLAX — Risk / Return Rank
BLV
VBLAX
BLV vs. VBLAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX). 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.
| BLV | VBLAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.18 | 0.19 | -0.02 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.30 | 0.32 | -0.02 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.04 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.34 | 0.41 | -0.06 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.83 | 0.99 | -0.16 |
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
| BLV | VBLAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.18 | 0.19 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.24 | -0.25 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.10 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 0.03 | +0.33 |
Correlation
The correlation between BLV and VBLAX is 0.96, 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
BLV vs. VBLAX - Dividend Comparison
BLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.76%, more than VBLAX's 4.33% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.76% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.33% | 4.64% | 4.61% | 4.08% | 4.13% | 2.62% | 5.39% | 3.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
BLV vs. VBLAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BLV drawdown since its inception was -38.29%, roughly equal to the maximum VBLAX drawdown of -38.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BLV and VBLAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BLV | VBLAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.29% | -38.62% | +0.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.89% | -6.87% | -0.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.27% | -36.32% | +0.05% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.29% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.58% | -25.57% | +0.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.38% | -17.94% | +8.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.85% | 2.82% | +0.03% |
Volatility
BLV vs. VBLAX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) has a higher volatility of 3.54% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) at 3.30%. This indicates that BLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBLAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BLV | VBLAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.54% | 3.30% | +0.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.49% | 5.44% | +0.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.75% | 9.50% | +0.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.97% | 12.89% | +0.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.99% | 12.74% | -0.75% |