FRSTX vs. VMSAX
Compare and contrast key facts about Franklin Strategic Income Fund (FRSTX) and Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VMSAX).
FRSTX is managed by Franklin Templeton. It was launched on May 23, 1994. VMSAX is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Oct 12, 2021.
Performance
FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Performance Comparison
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FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRSTX Franklin Strategic Income Fund | -0.74% | 5.97% | 3.28% | 8.44% | -9.32% |
VMSAX Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.99% | 9.08% | 6.86% | 10.53% | -8.42% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FRSTX achieves a -0.74% return, which is significantly higher than VMSAX's -0.99% return.
FRSTX
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- -2.48%
- YTD
- -0.74%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 4.04%
- 3Y*
- 4.43%
- 5Y*
- 1.59%
- 10Y*
- 2.76%
VMSAX
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -1.78%
- YTD
- -0.99%
- 6M
- 0.55%
- 1Y
- 5.76%
- 3Y*
- 7.21%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
FRSTX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than VMSAX's 0.30% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FRSTX vs. VMSAX — Risk / Return Rank
FRSTX
VMSAX
FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Strategic Income Fund (FRSTX) and Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VMSAX). 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.
| FRSTX | VMSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.00 | 0.05 | +0.96 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.42 | 1.32 | +0.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 2.07 | -0.89 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.54 | 0.11 | +1.43 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.66 | 1.75 | +3.91 |
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
| FRSTX | VMSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.00 | 0.05 | +0.96 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.37 | 0.06 | +1.31 |
Correlation
The correlation between FRSTX and VMSAX is 0.89, 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
FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Dividend Comparison
FRSTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.12%, less than VMSAX's 5.17% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRSTX Franklin Strategic Income Fund | 4.12% | 3.36% | 4.74% | 4.56% | 4.36% | 3.62% | 3.93% | 4.47% | 4.32% | 2.25% | 2.48% | 4.81% |
VMSAX Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 5.17% | 5.66% | 6.48% | 5.52% | 3.76% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FRSTX drawdown since its inception was -19.09%, smaller than the maximum VMSAX drawdown of -54.84%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FRSTX and VMSAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FRSTX | VMSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.09% | -54.84% | +35.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.95% | -54.84% | +51.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.83% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -17.63% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -2.03% | -0.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.05% | -3.21% | +1.16% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.80% | 3.50% | -2.70% |
Volatility
FRSTX vs. VMSAX - Volatility Comparison
Franklin Strategic Income Fund (FRSTX) has a higher volatility of 1.70% compared to Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VMSAX) at 1.19%. This indicates that FRSTX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VMSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FRSTX | VMSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.70% | 1.19% | +0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.59% | 112.83% | -110.24% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.17% | 133.59% | -129.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.06% | 65.65% | -61.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.12% | 65.65% | -61.53% |