LINKX vs. VTINX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

LINKX (BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund) and VTINX (Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund) are both mutual funds - LINKX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by BlackRock, while VTINX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, LINKX returned 7.90%/yr vs 5.33%/yr for VTINX. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. LINKX charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for VTINX.

Performance

LINKX vs. VTINX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund (LINKX) and Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund (VTINX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LINKX achieves a 7.00% return, which is significantly higher than VTINX's 4.69% return. Over the past 10 years, LINKX has outperformed VTINX with an annualized return of 7.90%, while VTINX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.33% annualized return.

LINKX

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 2.80%
• YTD: 7.00%
• 6M: 7.32%
• 1Y: 17.23%
• 3Y*: 11.68%
• 5Y*: 5.36%
• 10Y*: 7.90%

VTINX

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 2.12%
• YTD: 4.69%
• 6M: 4.90%
• 1Y: 12.16%
• 3Y*: 9.49%
• 5Y*: 4.28%
• 10Y*: 5.33%

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

LINKX vs. VTINX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
LINKX BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund	7.00%	14.19%	6.31%	14.58%	-16.42%	11.27%	12.22%	21.09%	-5.56%	16.36%
VTINX Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund	4.69%	11.31%	6.66%	10.66%	-12.75%	5.24%	10.02%	13.16%	-1.98%	7.46%

Correlation

The correlation between LINKX and VTINX is 0.97 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.97
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.95
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 1, 2011	0.92

The correlation between LINKX and VTINX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

LINKX vs. VTINX — Risk / Return Rank

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

LINKX

LINKX Risk / Return Rank: 75
LINKX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
LINKX Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
LINKX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
LINKX Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
LINKX Martin Ratio Rank: 77

VTINX

VTINX Risk / Return Rank: 72
VTINX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
VTINX Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
VTINX Omega Ratio Rank: 77
VTINX Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
VTINX Martin Ratio Rank: 68

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.

LINKX vs. VTINX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund (LINKX) and Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund (VTINX). 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.

	LINKX	VTINX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.55	2.52	+0.03
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.68	3.70	-0.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.50	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.27	2.97	+0.30
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.46	13.09	+1.38
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LINKX vs. VTINX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LINKX Sharpe Ratio is 2.55, which is comparable to the VTINX Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LINKX and VTINX, 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

	LINKX	VTINX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.55	2.52	+0.03
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	0.71	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.93	-0.20
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.66	0.93	-0.28

Drawdowns

LINKX vs. VTINX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LINKX drawdown since its inception was -24.19%, which is greater than VTINX's maximum drawdown of -19.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LINKX and VTINX.

Drawdown Indicators

	LINKX	VTINX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.19%	-19.96%	-4.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.31%	-4.14%	-1.17%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.76%	-5.26%	-5.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.68%	-17.02%	-5.66%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-24.19%	-17.02%	-7.17%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.66%	-2.20%	-1.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.20%	0.94%	+0.26%

Volatility

LINKX vs. VTINX - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund (LINKX) has a higher volatility of 2.32% compared to Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund (VTINX) at 1.77%. This indicates that LINKX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTINX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	LINKX	VTINX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.32%	1.77%	+0.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.48%	4.02%	+1.46%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.82%	4.88%	+1.94%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.98%	6.07%	+3.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.88%	5.73%	+5.15%

LINKX vs. VTINX - Expense Ratio Comparison

LINKX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VTINX's 0.08% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

LINKX vs. VTINX - Dividend Comparison

LINKX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.10%, less than VTINX's 4.80% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LINKX BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund	3.10%	3.32%	0.02%	2.53%	2.58%	2.52%	1.27%	3.26%	2.44%	2.33%	2.41%	3.08%
VTINX Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund	4.80%	5.02%	5.89%	4.01%	3.08%	8.63%	3.42%	2.62%	4.19%	1.56%	2.27%	3.53%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LINKX and VTINX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.97, LINKX and VTINX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, LINKX or VTINX?

LINKX has higher volatility (2.32%) compared to VTINX (1.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LINKX dropped -24.19% vs VTINX's -19.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

LINKX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.55 vs 2.52), 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.