BSV vs. VBIRX
BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) and VBIRX (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Short-Term Bond funds from Vanguard - BSV tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index while VBIRX tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BSV returned 1.90%/yr vs 1.85%/yr for VBIRX. Their 0.77 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. BSV charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VBIRX.
Performance
BSV vs. VBIRX - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BSV achieves a 0.42% return, which is significantly higher than VBIRX's 0.14% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with BSV having a 1.90% annualized return and VBIRX not far behind at 1.85%.
BSV
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- -0.22%
- 6M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.42%
- 1Y
- 2.36%
- 3Y*
- 4.55%
- 5Y*
- 1.61%
- 10Y*
- 1.90%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.51%
VBIRX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.29%
- 6M
- 0.00%
- YTD
- 0.14%
- 1Y
- 2.10%
- 3Y*
- 4.40%
- 5Y*
- 1.54%
- 10Y*
- 1.85%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.58%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $124.18M | $168.72M | $200.19M | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
BSV vs. VBIRX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.42% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
VBIRX Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.14% | 6.09% | 3.75% | 4.87% | -5.63% | -1.20% | 4.69% | 4.86% | 1.37% | 1.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between BSV and VBIRX is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.90 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2007 | 0.77 |
The correlation between BSV and VBIRX shifts across timeframes, from 0.77 (all time) to 0.90 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
BSV vs. VBIRX — Risk / Return Rank
BSV
VBIRX
BSV vs. VBIRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIRX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BSV | VBIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.27 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.33 | 1.98 | +0.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.21 | 5.56 | +1.64 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
BSV vs. VBIRX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BSV drawdown since its inception was -8.54%, roughly equal to the maximum VBIRX drawdown of -8.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSV and VBIRX.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| BSV | VBIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.54% | -8.69% | +0.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.29% | -1.54% | +0.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.53% | -1.55% | +0.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -8.48% | -8.55% | +0.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -8.54% | -8.69% | +0.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.50% | -0.79% | +0.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.97% | -0.98% | +0.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.42% | 0.55% | -0.13% |
Volatility
BSV vs. VBIRX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) has a higher volatility of 0.49% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIRX) at 0.46%. This indicates that BSV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBIRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| BSV | VBIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.49% | 0.46% | +0.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.41% | 1.68% | -0.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.81% | 2.24% | -0.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 2.98% | -0.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.38% | 2.40% | -0.02% |
BSV vs. VBIRX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BSV has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VBIRX's 0.06% 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
BSV vs. VBIRX - Dividend Comparison
BSV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.02%, more than VBIRX's 3.69% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.68% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
VBIRX Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.69% | 3.83% | 3.37% | 2.41% | 1.46% | 1.22% | 1.77% | 2.24% | 2.03% | 1.66% | 1.50% | 1.41% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BSV and VBIRX have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BSV has higher volatility (0.49%) compared to VBIRX (0.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BSV dropped -8.54% vs VBIRX's -8.69%.
BSV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.66 vs 1.37), 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.
Find the right allocation for BSV and VBIRX
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer