BLV vs. VBTLX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX).
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. VBTLX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 12, 2001.
Performance
BLV vs. VBTLX - Performance Comparison
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BLV vs. VBTLX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | -0.32% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 18.99% | -4.17% | 10.74% |
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, BLV achieves a -0.32% return, which is significantly higher than VBTLX's -0.49% return. Over the past 10 years, BLV has underperformed VBTLX with an annualized return of 1.20%, while VBTLX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.60% annualized return.
BLV
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -3.51%
- YTD
- -0.32%
- 6M
- -0.68%
- 1Y
- 2.33%
- 3Y*
- 1.01%
- 5Y*
- -3.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.20%
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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BLV vs. VBTLX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BLV has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VBTLX's 0.05% 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. VBTLX — Risk / Return Rank
BLV
VBTLX
BLV vs. VBTLX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) 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.
| BLV | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.24 | 1.00 | -0.76 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.38 | 1.44 | -1.06 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.18 | -0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.43 | 1.78 | -1.35 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.04 | 5.08 | -4.04 |
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 | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 | 1.00 | -0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.24 | 0.04 | -0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.10 | 0.32 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 0.76 | -0.39 |
Correlation
The correlation between BLV and VBTLX is 0.86, 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. VBTLX - Dividend Comparison
BLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.73%, more than VBTLX's 3.61% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.33% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
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
BLV vs. VBTLX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BLV drawdown since its inception was -38.29%, which is greater than VBTLX's maximum drawdown of -18.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BLV and VBTLX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BLV | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.29% | -18.81% | -19.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.89% | -2.73% | -4.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.27% | -18.14% | -18.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.29% | -18.81% | -19.48% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.59% | -3.06% | -21.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.37% | -2.67% | -6.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.84% | 0.96% | +1.88% |
Volatility
BLV vs. VBTLX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) has a higher volatility of 3.54% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) at 1.55%. This indicates that BLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| BLV | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.54% | 1.55% | +1.99% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.50% | 2.59% | +2.91% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.77% | 4.37% | +5.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.98% | 5.98% | +7.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.99% | 4.97% | +7.02% |