COSIX vs. BIV

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

COSIX (Columbia Strategic Income Fund) and BIV (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF) are both funds - COSIX is a Nontraditional Bonds fund managed by Columbia, while BIV is a Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5–10 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, COSIX returned 3.56%/yr vs 1.91%/yr for BIV. At a 0.42 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. COSIX charges 0.92%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BIV.

Performance

COSIX vs. BIV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Columbia Strategic Income Fund (COSIX) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, COSIX achieves a 1.26% return, which is significantly higher than BIV's -0.24% return. Over the past 10 years, COSIX has outperformed BIV with an annualized return of 3.56%, while BIV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.91% annualized return.

COSIX

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: 0.33%
• YTD: 1.26%
• 6M: 1.28%
• 1Y: 5.27%
• 3Y*: 6.50%
• 5Y*: 1.84%
• 10Y*: 3.56%

BIV

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 0.04%
• YTD: -0.24%
• 6M: -0.48%
• 1Y: 4.80%
• 3Y*: 4.27%
• 5Y*: 0.25%
• 10Y*: 1.91%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

COSIX vs. BIV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
COSIX Columbia Strategic Income Fund	1.26%	6.98%	4.50%	9.86%	-11.65%	1.34%	7.12%	10.19%	-0.96%	5.48%
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF	-0.24%	8.52%	1.57%	6.07%	-13.21%	-2.40%	9.67%	10.34%	-0.19%	3.65%

Correlation

The correlation between COSIX and BIV is 0.89, 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	0.89
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2007	0.42

Over the past year, COSIX and BIV have become more correlated (0.89) than their long-term average of 0.42, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

COSIX vs. BIV — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

COSIX

COSIX Risk / Return Rank: 38
COSIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
COSIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
COSIX Omega Ratio Rank: 35
COSIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
COSIX Martin Ratio Rank: 43

BIV

BIV Risk / Return Rank: 31
BIV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
BIV Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
BIV Omega Ratio Rank: 30
BIV Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
BIV Martin Ratio Rank: 31

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

COSIX vs. BIV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Columbia Strategic Income Fund (COSIX) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV). 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.

	COSIX	BIV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	1.19	+0.56
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.62	1.77	+0.85
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.21	+0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.39	1.52	+0.87
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.20	4.60	+4.60
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

COSIX vs. BIV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current COSIX Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is higher than the BIV Sharpe Ratio of 1.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of COSIX and BIV, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	COSIX	BIV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.75	1.19	+0.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.41	0.04	+0.37
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86	0.35	+0.51
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.01	0.65	+0.36

Drawdowns

COSIX vs. BIV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum COSIX drawdown since its inception was -27.69%, which is greater than BIV's maximum drawdown of -18.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COSIX and BIV.

Drawdown Indicators

	COSIX	BIV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-27.69%	-18.95%	-8.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.21%	-3.18%	+0.97%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.17%	-6.07%	+1.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.88%	-18.74%	+1.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-16.88%	-18.95%	+2.07%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.11%	-2.04%	+1.93%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.47%	-3.39%	+0.92%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.57%	1.05%	-0.48%

Volatility

COSIX vs. BIV - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Columbia Strategic Income Fund (COSIX) is 1.04%, while Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF (BIV) has a volatility of 1.36%. This indicates that COSIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BIV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	COSIX	BIV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.04%	1.36%	-0.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.21%	2.90%	-0.69%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.95%	4.06%	-1.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.55%	6.40%	-1.85%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.17%	5.50%	-1.33%

COSIX vs. BIV - Expense Ratio Comparison

COSIX has a 0.92% expense ratio, which is higher than BIV's 0.03% expense ratio.

Dividends

COSIX vs. BIV - Dividend Comparison

COSIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.99%, more than BIV's 4.22% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BIV Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index ETF	4.22%	4.01%	3.79%	3.09%	2.41%	3.42%	2.95%	2.75%	2.88%	2.69%	3.01%	3.02%
COSIX Columbia Strategic Income Fund	4.99%	4.94%	5.20%	5.03%	3.56%	3.86%	3.24%	3.71%	4.25%	3.51%	3.09%	4.20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both COSIX and BIV in my portfolio?

COSIX and BIV have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, COSIX or BIV?

BIV has higher volatility (1.36%) compared to COSIX (1.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, COSIX dropped -27.69% vs BIV's -18.95%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

COSIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs 1.19), 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.