SHY vs. VFSTX
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX).
SHY is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Jul 22, 2002. VFSTX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Oct 29, 1982.
Performance
SHY vs. VFSTX - Performance Comparison
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SHY vs. VFSTX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHY iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.27% | 4.95% | 3.92% | 4.16% | -3.88% | -0.71% | 3.03% | 3.38% | 1.46% | 0.26% |
VFSTX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | -0.40% | 6.75% | 4.98% | 6.06% | -5.84% | -0.70% | 5.16% | 5.75% | 0.87% | 2.02% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SHY achieves a 0.27% return, which is significantly higher than VFSTX's -0.40% return. Over the past 10 years, SHY has underperformed VFSTX with an annualized return of 1.65%, while VFSTX has yielded a comparatively higher 2.49% annualized return.
SHY
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -0.47%
- YTD
- 0.27%
- 6M
- 1.34%
- 1Y
- 3.61%
- 3Y*
- 3.88%
- 5Y*
- 1.70%
- 10Y*
- 1.65%
VFSTX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -1.42%
- YTD
- -0.40%
- 6M
- 0.73%
- 1Y
- 4.26%
- 3Y*
- 5.14%
- 5Y*
- 2.21%
- 10Y*
- 2.49%
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SHY vs. VFSTX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SHY has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than VFSTX's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
SHY vs. VFSTX — Risk / Return Rank
SHY
VFSTX
SHY vs. VFSTX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX). 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.
| SHY | VFSTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.50 | 1.90 | +0.60 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 4.12 | 3.11 | +1.01 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.52 | 1.42 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.15 | 2.90 | +1.25 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.03 | 11.78 | +4.26 |
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
| SHY | VFSTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.50 | 1.90 | +0.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.87 | 0.75 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.06 | 1.02 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.29 | 1.51 | -0.22 |
Correlation
The correlation between SHY and VFSTX is 0.73, 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
SHY vs. VFSTX - Dividend Comparison
SHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.75%, less than VFSTX's 4.20% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHY iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.75% | 3.81% | 3.92% | 2.99% | 1.30% | 0.26% | 0.94% | 2.12% | 1.72% | 0.98% | 0.71% | 0.54% |
VFSTX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | 4.20% | 4.48% | 4.06% | 3.05% | 1.93% | 1.70% | 2.24% | 2.83% | 2.68% | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.99% |
Drawdowns
SHY vs. VFSTX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SHY drawdown since its inception was -5.71%, smaller than the maximum VFSTX drawdown of -9.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SHY and VFSTX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SHY | VFSTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.71% | -9.35% | +3.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.89% | -1.71% | +0.82% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.71% | -9.35% | +3.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.71% | -9.35% | +3.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.47% | -1.42% | +0.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.52% | -1.12% | +0.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.23% | 0.42% | -0.19% |
Volatility
SHY vs. VFSTX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) is 0.58%, while Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX) has a volatility of 0.75%. This indicates that SHY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFSTX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SHY | VFSTX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.58% | 0.75% | -0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.89% | 1.49% | -0.60% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45% | 2.51% | -1.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.97% | 2.94% | -0.97% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.56% | 2.46% | -0.90% |