UNFI vs. VMBS

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

UNFI (United Natural Foods, Inc.) is a stock, while VMBS (Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF) is Mortgage Backed Securities fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, UNFI returned 0.14%/yr vs 1.33%/yr for VMBS. At a correlation of -0.08, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

UNFI vs. VMBS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) and Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UNFI achieves a 44.10% return, which is significantly higher than VMBS's 0.84% return. Over the past 10 years, UNFI has underperformed VMBS with an annualized return of 0.14%, while VMBS has yielded a comparatively higher 1.33% annualized return.

UNFI

• 1D: -2.06%
• 1M: -3.60%
• 6M: 39.83%
• YTD: 44.10%
• 1Y: 107.44%
• 3Y*: 34.06%
• 5Y*: 8.72%
• 10Y*: 0.14%

VMBS

• 1D: 0.09%
• 1M: -0.23%
• 6M: 0.35%
• YTD: 0.84%
• 1Y: 6.03%
• 3Y*: 4.56%
• 5Y*: 0.52%
• 10Y*: 1.33%

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

UNFI vs. VMBS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UNFI United Natural Foods, Inc.	44.10%	23.29%	68.27%	-58.07%	-21.13%	207.33%	82.31%	-17.28%	-78.51%	3.25%
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF	0.84%	8.36%	1.70%	5.34%	-11.90%	-1.28%	3.76%	6.19%	0.91%	2.47%

Correlation

The correlation between UNFI and VMBS is 0.09, 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	0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.08
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.03
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.04
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009	-0.08

The correlation between UNFI and VMBS shifts across timeframes, from -0.08 (all time) to 0.09 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UNFI vs. VMBS — Risk / Return Rank

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

UNFI

UNFI Risk / Return Rank: 91
UNFI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
UNFI Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
UNFI Omega Ratio Rank: 90
UNFI Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
UNFI Martin Ratio Rank: 90

VMBS

VMBS Risk / Return Rank: 52
VMBS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
VMBS Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
VMBS Omega Ratio Rank: 50
VMBS Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
VMBS Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

UNFI vs. VMBS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) and Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS). 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.

	UNFI	VMBS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.24	1.42	+0.82
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.90	2.09	+0.81
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.26	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.00	2.25	+1.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.73	6.97	+2.76

UNFI vs. VMBS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UNFI Sharpe Ratio is 2.24, which is higher than the VMBS Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UNFI and VMBS, 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

UNFI vs. VMBS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UNFI drawdown since its inception was -93.50%, which is greater than VMBS's maximum drawdown of -17.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNFI and VMBS.

Drawdown Indicators

	UNFI	VMBS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.50%	-17.47%	-76.03%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.00%	-2.68%	-24.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-58.28%	-7.47%	-50.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-84.14%	-17.12%	-67.02%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-89.66%	-17.47%	-72.19%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-41.91%	-1.15%	-40.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-37.31%	-2.49%	-34.82%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.09%	0.87%	+10.22%

Volatility

UNFI vs. VMBS - Volatility Comparison

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has a higher volatility of 9.65% compared to Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS) at 1.26%. This indicates that UNFI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VMBS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UNFI	VMBS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.65%	1.26%	+8.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	31.32%	3.36%	+27.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	48.22%	4.28%	+43.94%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	53.05%	6.80%	+46.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	61.70%	5.41%	+56.29%

Dividends

UNFI vs. VMBS - Dividend Comparison

UNFI has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VMBS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.20%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
UNFI United Natural Foods, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF	4.20%	4.20%	3.94%	3.31%	2.35%	1.02%	2.01%	2.77%	2.72%	2.16%	2.10%	2.12%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UNFI and VMBS in my portfolio?

UNFI and VMBS 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, UNFI or VMBS?

UNFI has higher volatility (9.65%) compared to VMBS (1.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNFI dropped -93.50% vs VMBS's -17.47%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UNFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.24 vs 1.42), 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.