MS vs. VTIP

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

MS (Morgan Stanley) is a stock, while VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) is Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. Over the past 10 years, MS returned 25.44%/yr vs 3.08%/yr for VTIP. Their -0.04 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past.

Performance

MS vs. VTIP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Morgan Stanley (MS) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MS achieves a 20.94% return, which is significantly higher than VTIP's 1.77% return. Over the past 10 years, MS has outperformed VTIP with an annualized return of 25.44%, while VTIP has yielded a comparatively lower 3.08% annualized return.

MS

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: -0.72%
• 6M: 15.36%
• YTD: 20.94%
• 1Y: 55.31%
• 3Y*: 37.65%
• 5Y*: 20.80%
• 10Y*: 25.44%
• ALL TIME*: 13.02%

VTIP

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: 0.10%
• 6M: 1.40%
• YTD: 1.77%
• 1Y: 3.03%
• 3Y*: 5.00%
• 5Y*: 3.09%
• 10Y*: 3.08%
• ALL TIME*: 2.21%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
MS Morgan Stanley	$1.15B	$1.28B	$1.27B
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	$116.14M	$112.47M	$126.65M

MS vs. VTIP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MS Morgan Stanley	20.94%	45.16%	39.73%	13.93%	-10.34%	46.65%	38.09%	32.67%	-22.76%	26.61%
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	1.77%	6.07%	4.74%	4.62%	-2.94%	5.36%	4.95%	4.86%	0.56%	0.82%

Correlation

The correlation between MS and VTIP is -0.09, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.09
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.00
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.04
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	-0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 16, 2012	-0.04

The correlation between MS and VTIP shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (1 year) to 0.04 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

MS vs. VTIP — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

MS

MS Risk / Return Rank: 89
MS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
MS Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
MS Omega Ratio Rank: 88
MS Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
MS Martin Ratio Rank: 90

VTIP

VTIP Risk / Return Rank: 88
VTIP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VTIP Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
VTIP Omega Ratio Rank: 88
VTIP Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
VTIP Martin Ratio Rank: 87

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

MS vs. VTIP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Morgan Stanley (MS) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). 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.

	MS	VTIP	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.01	2.00	0.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	3.09	-0.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.39	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.95	4.26	-1.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.28	13.14	-3.86

MS vs. VTIP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MS Sharpe Ratio is 2.01, which is comparable to the VTIP Sharpe Ratio of 2.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MS and VTIP, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

MS vs. VTIP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MS drawdown since its inception was -88.12%, which is greater than VTIP's maximum drawdown of -6.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MS and VTIP.

Drawdown Indicators

	MS	VTIP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.12%	-6.27%	-81.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.83%	-0.71%	-18.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.24%	-0.98%	-28.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.38%	-5.50%	-26.88%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.33%	-6.27%	-45.06%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.07%	-0.29%	-6.78%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-33.57%	-1.03%	-32.54%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.98%	0.23%	+5.75%

Volatility

MS vs. VTIP - Volatility Comparison

Morgan Stanley (MS) has a higher volatility of 10.10% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) at 0.40%. This indicates that MS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTIP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MS	VTIP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.10%	0.40%	+9.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	22.55%	1.22%	+21.33%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.75%	1.52%	+26.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.83%	2.76%	+26.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.38%	2.74%	+28.64%

Dividends

MS vs. VTIP - Dividend Comparison

MS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.96%, less than VTIP's 4.16% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MS Morgan Stanley	1.96%	2.17%	2.82%	3.49%	3.47%	2.14%	2.04%	2.54%	2.77%	1.72%	1.66%	1.73%
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	4.16%	3.81%	2.70%	2.86%	6.84%	4.68%	1.20%	1.95%	2.45%	1.52%	0.76%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MS and VTIP in my portfolio?

MS and VTIP have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MS or VTIP?

MS has higher volatility (10.10%) compared to VTIP (0.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MS dropped -88.12% vs VTIP's -6.27%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.01 vs 2.00), 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.