PRTIX vs. VGAVX
PRTIX (T. Rowe Price U.S. Treasury Intermediate Index Fund) and VGAVX (Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Government Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, PRTIX returned 0.97%/yr vs 3.70%/yr for VGAVX. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PRTIX charges 0.27%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for VGAVX.
Performance
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PRTIX achieves a -0.64% return, which is significantly lower than VGAVX's 1.65% return. Over the past 10 years, PRTIX has underperformed VGAVX with an annualized return of 0.97%, while VGAVX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.70% annualized return.
PRTIX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.12%
- YTD
- -0.64%
- 6M
- -0.38%
- 1Y
- 4.83%
- 3Y*
- 3.75%
- 5Y*
- -0.21%
- 10Y*
- 0.97%
VGAVX
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- 1.07%
- YTD
- 1.65%
- 6M
- 1.95%
- 1Y
- 11.27%
- 3Y*
- 9.73%
- 5Y*
- 2.35%
- 10Y*
- 3.70%
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PRTIX T. Rowe Price U.S. Treasury Intermediate Index Fund | -0.64% | 8.91% | 1.64% | 3.49% | -12.61% | -2.99% | 8.05% | 6.65% | 1.02% | 1.24% |
VGAVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.65% | 12.98% | 6.27% | 10.44% | -16.68% | -1.74% | 5.82% | 14.01% | -2.77% | 8.45% |
Correlation
The correlation between PRTIX and VGAVX is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2014 | 0.40 |
The correlation between PRTIX and VGAVX shifts across timeframes, from 0.40 (all time) to 0.63 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PRTIX vs. VGAVX — Risk / Return Rank
PRTIX
VGAVX
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price U.S. Treasury Intermediate Index Fund (PRTIX) and Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VGAVX). 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.
| PRTIX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.64 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.58 | -0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.38 | 2.92 | -1.54 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.19 | 11.71 | -7.52 |
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
| PRTIX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.19 | 2.82 | -1.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 | 0.37 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.19 | 0.58 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.88 | 0.69 | +0.19 |
Drawdowns
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PRTIX drawdown since its inception was -18.93%, smaller than the maximum VGAVX drawdown of -26.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PRTIX and VGAVX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PRTIX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.93% | -26.77% | +7.84% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.45% | -3.97% | +0.52% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.29% | -7.11% | +1.82% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.70% | -26.77% | +9.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.93% | -26.77% | +7.84% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.41% | -0.09% | -4.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.94% | -4.68% | +1.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.12% | 0.99% | +0.13% |
Volatility
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for T. Rowe Price U.S. Treasury Intermediate Index Fund (PRTIX) is 1.38%, while Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VGAVX) has a volatility of 1.53%. This indicates that PRTIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VGAVX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PRTIX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.38% | 1.53% | -0.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.88% | 3.32% | -0.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.00% | 4.12% | -0.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.15% | 6.32% | -0.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.13% | 6.37% | -1.24% |
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PRTIX has a 0.27% expense ratio, which is higher than VGAVX's 0.20% 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
PRTIX vs. VGAVX - Dividend Comparison
PRTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.99%, less than VGAVX's 5.79% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PRTIX T. Rowe Price U.S. Treasury Intermediate Index Fund | 4.99% | 4.92% | 4.85% | 3.99% | 1.17% | 0.76% | 2.80% | 2.08% | 1.86% | 1.60% | 2.25% | 2.48% |
VGAVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.79% | 5.88% | 6.56% | 5.50% | 5.29% | 4.27% | 4.20% | 4.60% | 4.54% | 4.62% | 4.73% | 4.94% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PRTIX and VGAVX have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VGAVX has higher volatility (1.53%) compared to PRTIX (1.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PRTIX dropped -18.93% vs VGAVX's -26.77%.
VGAVX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.82 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.
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