DFLEX vs. VFSUX
DFLEX (DoubleLine Flexible Income Fund) and VFSUX (Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - DFLEX is a Nontraditional Bonds fund managed by DoubleLine, while VFSUX is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Credit Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, DFLEX returned 3.54%/yr vs 2.51%/yr for VFSUX. Their 0.52 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. DFLEX charges 0.74%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VFSUX.
Performance
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFLEX achieves a 1.38% return, which is significantly higher than VFSUX's 0.44% return. Over the past 10 years, DFLEX has outperformed VFSUX with an annualized return of 3.54%, while VFSUX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.51% annualized return.
DFLEX
- 1D
- -0.57%
- 1M
- -0.46%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- YTD
- 1.38%
- 1Y
- 3.82%
- 3Y*
- 7.07%
- 5Y*
- 3.00%
- 10Y*
- 3.54%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.44%
VFSUX
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -0.58%
- 6M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- 0.44%
- 1Y
- 2.70%
- 3Y*
- 5.41%
- 5Y*
- 2.26%
- 10Y*
- 2.51%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.09%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFLEX DoubleLine Flexible Income Fund | 1.38% | 6.58% | 8.65% | 7.84% | -8.48% | 3.79% | 2.93% | 7.21% | 0.10% | 5.27% |
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 0.44% | 6.87% | 5.08% | 6.17% | -5.75% | -0.62% | 5.26% | 5.85% | 0.98% | 2.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFLEX and VFSUX is 0.59, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.59 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.60 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.65 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 8, 2014 | 0.52 |
The correlation between DFLEX and VFSUX shifts across timeframes, from 0.52 (all time) to 0.65 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DFLEX vs. VFSUX — Risk / Return Rank
DFLEX
VFSUX
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DoubleLine Flexible Income Fund (DFLEX) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX). 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.
| DFLEX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.35 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.75 | 1.30 | +0.45 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.61 | 1.88 | +2.73 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 19.99 | 7.02 | +12.97 |
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Drawdowns
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFLEX drawdown since its inception was -17.29%, which is greater than VFSUX's maximum drawdown of -9.24%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFLEX and VFSUX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFLEX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -17.29% | -9.24% | -8.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.91% | -1.71% | +0.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.15% | -1.71% | +0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -11.00% | -9.21% | -1.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -17.29% | -9.24% | -8.05% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.57% | -0.67% | +0.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.53% | -0.87% | -0.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.21% | 0.46% | -0.25% |
Volatility
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Volatility Comparison
DoubleLine Flexible Income Fund (DFLEX) has a higher volatility of 0.70% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX) at 0.48%. This indicates that DFLEX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSUX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFLEX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.70% | 0.48% | +0.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.26% | 1.76% | -0.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.51% | 2.28% | -0.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.96% | 3.00% | -1.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 2.49% | +0.25% |
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFLEX has a 0.74% expense ratio, which is higher than VFSUX's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
DFLEX vs. VFSUX - Dividend Comparison
DFLEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.08%, more than VFSUX's 4.36% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFLEX DoubleLine Flexible Income Fund | 5.08% | 5.68% | 6.05% | 5.95% | 4.72% | 3.86% | 3.96% | 4.46% | 4.46% | 3.82% | 3.75% | 4.32% |
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 4.36% | 4.59% | 4.16% | 3.14% | 2.03% | 1.79% | 2.34% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.14% | 2.09% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFLEX and VFSUX have a correlation of 0.59, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFLEX has higher volatility (0.70%) compared to VFSUX (0.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFLEX dropped -17.29% vs VFSUX's -9.24%.
DFLEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs 1.43), 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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