RFEU vs. VTAPX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

RFEU (First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF) and VTAPX (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - RFEU is a Europe Equities fund actively managed by First Trust, while VTAPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, RFEU returned 7.29%/yr vs 3.13%/yr for VTAPX. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. RFEU charges 0.83%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VTAPX.

Performance

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RFEU achieves a 1.50% return, which is significantly lower than VTAPX's 2.05% return. Over the past 10 years, RFEU has outperformed VTAPX with an annualized return of 7.29%, while VTAPX has yielded a comparatively lower 3.13% annualized return.

RFEU

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 1.50%
• 6M: 4.64%
• 1Y: 13.05%
• 3Y*: 12.44%
• 5Y*: 3.76%
• 10Y*: 7.29%

VTAPX

• 1D: 0.12%
• 1M: 0.12%
• YTD: 2.05%
• 6M: 2.12%
• 1Y: 4.60%
• 3Y*: 5.23%
• 5Y*: 3.35%
• 10Y*: 3.13%

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

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RFEU First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF	1.50%	30.78%	-1.78%	16.19%	-24.17%	22.83%	6.25%	23.21%	-17.57%	26.58%
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares	2.05%	6.03%	4.73%	4.59%	-2.84%	5.26%	4.97%	4.85%	0.53%	0.82%

Correlation

The correlation between RFEU and VTAPX is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.16
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.17
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 15, 2016	0.12

The correlation between RFEU and VTAPX shifts across timeframes, from 0.05 (1 year) to 0.17 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RFEU vs. VTAPX — Risk / Return Rank

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

RFEU

RFEU Risk / Return Rank: 59
RFEU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
RFEU Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
RFEU Omega Ratio Rank: 57
RFEU Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
RFEU Martin Ratio Rank: 72

VTAPX

VTAPX Risk / Return Rank: 94
VTAPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
VTAPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
VTAPX Omega Ratio Rank: 89
VTAPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
VTAPX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX). 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.

	RFEU	VTAPX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.65	3.01	-1.36
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.39	4.97	-2.58
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.64	-0.28
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.67	6.54	-2.86
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.96	25.76	-11.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RFEU Sharpe Ratio is 1.65, which is lower than the VTAPX Sharpe Ratio of 3.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RFEU and VTAPX, 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

	RFEU	VTAPX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.65	3.01	-1.36
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.23	1.26	-1.03
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41	1.41	-1.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	1.07	-0.66

Drawdowns

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RFEU drawdown since its inception was -39.74%, which is greater than VTAPX's maximum drawdown of -5.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RFEU and VTAPX.

Drawdown Indicators

	RFEU	VTAPX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.74%	-5.33%	-34.41%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.15%	-0.72%	-4.43%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.48%	-0.92%	-12.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.92%	-5.33%	-30.59%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.74%	-5.33%	-34.41%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.11%	-0.04%	-0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.63%	-1.03%	-8.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.35%	0.18%	+1.17%

Volatility

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) is 0.00%, while Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX) has a volatility of 0.57%. This indicates that RFEU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTAPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RFEU	VTAPX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.00%	0.57%	-0.57%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.44%	1.11%	+3.33%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.77%	1.53%	+7.24%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.77%	2.67%	+14.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.86%	2.23%	+15.63%

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Expense Ratio Comparison

RFEU has a 0.83% expense ratio, which is higher than VTAPX's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

RFEU vs. VTAPX - Dividend Comparison

RFEU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.83%, less than VTAPX's 3.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
RFEU First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF	2.83%	2.87%	5.45%	3.37%	4.98%	1.82%	2.32%	3.08%	2.84%	1.35%	3.16%
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares	3.55%	3.78%	2.68%	2.84%	6.82%	4.67%	1.19%	1.94%	2.45%	1.52%	0.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RFEU and VTAPX in my portfolio?

RFEU and VTAPX have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RFEU or VTAPX?

VTAPX has higher volatility (0.57%) compared to RFEU (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RFEU dropped -39.74% vs VTAPX's -5.33%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VTAPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.00 vs 1.65), 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.