BRACX vs. VSTBX
BRACX (BlackRock Allocation Target Shares Series C Portfolio) and VSTBX (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares) are both Corporate Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, BRACX returned 2.25%/yr vs 3.01%/yr for VSTBX. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. BRACX charges 0.00%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for VSTBX.
Performance
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
As of year-to-date, both investments have demonstrated similar returns, with BRACX at 0.73% and VSTBX at 0.73%. Over the past 10 years, BRACX has underperformed VSTBX with an annualized return of 2.25%, while VSTBX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.01% annualized return.
BRACX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.78%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 0.63%
- 1Y
- 6.55%
- 3Y*
- 4.76%
- 5Y*
- 0.27%
- 10Y*
- 2.25%
VSTBX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.30%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 1.00%
- 1Y
- 4.66%
- 3Y*
- 5.68%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 3.01%
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRACX BlackRock Allocation Target Shares Series C Portfolio | 0.73% | 7.97% | 1.02% | 8.05% | -15.97% | -1.94% | 11.21% | 14.28% | -2.44% | 5.11% |
VSTBX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | 0.73% | 6.75% | 5.37% | 6.17% | -5.73% | -0.41% | 5.07% | 9.68% | 0.92% | 2.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRACX and VSTBX is 0.81, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2009 | 0.79 |
The correlation between BRACX and VSTBX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.79 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
BRACX vs. VSTBX — Risk / Return Rank
BRACX
VSTBX
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Allocation Target Shares Series C Portfolio (BRACX) and Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSTBX). 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.
| BRACX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.81 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.54 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.05 | 3.57 | -1.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.84 | 14.23 | -7.39 |
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
| BRACX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.57 | 2.67 | -1.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 | 0.90 | -0.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 | 1.27 | -0.89 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 1.47 | -1.20 |
Drawdowns
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRACX drawdown since its inception was -22.49%, which is greater than VSTBX's maximum drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRACX and VSTBX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRACX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.49% | -9.34% | -13.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.26% | -1.31% | -1.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.79% | -1.31% | -5.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.41% | -9.34% | -13.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.49% | -9.34% | -13.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.18% | -0.24% | -1.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.72% | -0.96% | -3.76% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.98% | 0.33% | +0.65% |
Volatility
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Volatility Comparison
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares Series C Portfolio (BRACX) has a higher volatility of 1.47% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSTBX) at 0.57%. This indicates that BRACX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSTBX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BRACX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.47% | 0.57% | +0.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.13% | 1.27% | +1.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.29% | 1.76% | +2.53% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.64% | 2.71% | +3.93% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.94% | 2.38% | +3.56% |
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BRACX has a 0.00% expense ratio, which is lower than VSTBX'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%.
Dividends
BRACX vs. VSTBX - Dividend Comparison
BRACX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.27%, more than VSTBX's 4.44% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRACX BlackRock Allocation Target Shares Series C Portfolio | 5.27% | 5.29% | 3.95% | 3.09% | 2.63% | 3.46% | 6.38% | 4.15% | 3.67% | 2.85% | 0.20% | 0.86% |
VSTBX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | 4.44% | 4.34% | 4.29% | 3.09% | 2.00% | 1.80% | 2.27% | 5.40% | 2.67% | 2.27% | 1.96% | 2.25% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRACX and VSTBX have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BRACX has higher volatility (1.47%) compared to VSTBX (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRACX dropped -22.49% vs VSTBX's -9.34%.
VSTBX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 vs 1.57), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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